Flame
by AllisonWalker
Summary: Alternate Universe Jonouchi and Kaiba's relationship from Season 0 to post Canon if Kaiba had been written female instead of male...
1. Chapter 1

Genderbend is my guilty pleasure. This story has been written in part by Ashleen, who I am no longer creatively involved with as well as Katt, my writing partner.

I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Jonouchi caught the bus ride home after school, splitting away from his friends when they reached their usual stop near the Kame Game Shop. It actually put Jonouchi farther away from his neighborhood, but he didn't mind. Usually, Jonouchi could sprint home in good time, making the mile within fifteen minutes with his school bag firmly in hand, sometimes even faster if he had no homework at all to carry.

There was rarely a time where the teachers didn't overburden them with assignments, though. He didn't want to deal with studying for exams, but he needed to get his diploma. Yugi would be disappointed if he didn't at least try, and Anzu had promised to tutor him. Usually Jonouchi didn't even put forth the effort, but for his friends, he wanted to try.

He also didn't want people in class thinking he was as stupid as he sometimes acted. Peers rarely ever took him seriously. Before high school, Jonouchi wasn't too bothered by it, but now his image was starting to bug him. Maybe after he'd defected from the gang, he'd lost some of his street cred, and it probably wouldn't all come back. Not since people noticed him spending time with Yugi instead of his old crowd.

Yugi was strange. Jonouchi didn't quite get him, but maybe that was what was so intriguing about him. He always managed to surprise Jonouchi when things were really crazy, like the time he'd saved Anzu from the escaped prisoner. Jonouchi had expected Yugi to pee his pants in fright and freak out like everyone else had, but instead he had somehow managed to set the convict on fire…

It made him wonder.

But there was no time for him to dwell on it. The air was getting heavy, the sky dark; smelling rain coming, Jonouchi snorted before using one hand to hold his satchel tight as he ran down the street, extending his long legs as far out as he could.

His neighborhood wasn't safe, but people didn't normally mess with him. Most of the thugs who had frequented there knew Jonouchi could fight and didn't think he was worth the effort, nor did they like drawing attention to themselves. The city was changing, slowly cleaning itself up, and the police were finally taking interest in the ghetto. It was long overdue.

Reaching his crappy excuse for an apartment complex, Jonouchi ran up two flights of stairs and used his key to enter his apartment. He shuffled into the living room and collapsed on the futon face first. He could hear his father snoring from the bedroom, the door cracked open as the TV blared in the background.

At least his father was _home_. If he was home, that meant he probably still had his job at the garage. As long as he was still working, there was some money and Jonouchi wouldn't have to beg his mother for cash. She was always begrudgingly helpful about taking care of him, and Jonouchi hated asking. It felt like asking for charity.

Thankfully, Jonouchi had done most of his school work while on the bus with Yugi and Anzu, who had helped him. He wasn't the greatest at using English, especially with the confusing grammatical rules, but Anzu excelled at it. The teacher often praised her for sounding like a native speaker. Maybe she worked so hard at it because she planned to leave the country sometime soon. Jonouchi didn't think that was very nationalistic of her, but Anzu normally didn't care about that kind of thing anyways.

When he thought about it, _he_ didn't really care, either. When did his country do anything for him? His father blamed the country for many things, and it was only after hearing his teachers rant for endless hours about the selfishness of individualism that Jonouchi finally got what his father was talking about.

His father wasn't even completely Japanese. Jonouchi knew he was at least half white American, while his mother was a quarter and tried to hide it. They both had naturally light hair, and somehow Jonouchi managed to be born with a dirty shade of blond that was lightened with bleach whenever he could afford to splurge on hair dye.

It didn't help that at the same time, Jonouchi knew his father was a useless drunk who gambled away his money and chased after cheap sex workers too much when he did have extra money. He cared more about getting his dick wet when he had enough to drink to cloud his mind than he cared about how much Jonouchi had to eat or whether his clothes still fit. If it wasn't for his stupid school, Jonouchi would try to get an after school job, but he didn't see that happening anytime soon.

He really hated his life. His father was loudly snoring, and becoming fed up with the noise, he shut the door loudly before sulking on his futon, staring at a blank screen on his TV before figuring to turn it on. Sometimes it didn't even work, it was so cheap, but for once, it came on and the light filled the room as the usual commercials began to air.

There was a Kaiba Corporation opening coming soon. Interest piqued, Jonouchi stared as the different rides and games were shown, teenagers running around with smiles on their faces before the new and very attractive CEO came on screen, smiling at the screen in a way that Jonouchi could only describe as "seductive."

"Nobody knows fun like KaibaLand. Opening day is only three days away. Enter to win a free pass, and you might even get a sneak peek at the new, intense thrill of the lifetime, Death T."

Whatever that was, Jonouchi wanted to try it out. The name was ominous, but how bad could any ride be if it was made by a girl? Not that bad. Girls didn't know anything about frights except that they scared easily, and besides, seeing Kaiba again wouldn't be so bad.

Kaiba. _Girl_ wasn't the right word to describe her, and Jonouchi knew that. He'd dug up all he could find out about her-a harrowing task, since she didn't give out information easily to the press. Jonouchi figured out enough to know that she was only half Japanese, like himself, and was adopted at a young age by a billionaire. She was gorgeous, and quickly becoming an icon in Domino due to her position. She also happened to sit in the back row of his English class, where Jonouchi often caught himself staring at her no matter how he tried not to.

It was her eyes. She had the most beautiful dark blue eyes. He'd never admit that to anyone in his life, but he thought about it whenever he caught a glimpse.

Unfortunately, she wasn't in any of the rest of his classes. She was in advanced placement, however that worked in an already incredibly academically driven school that Jonouchi was positive had been set actively against him, and somehow also managed to rule over a company like the most orderly of kingdoms. He often wondered how she did it, but so did everyone. No one asked, because they were too afraid to communicate with her. But Jonouchi knew that, despite that fear, half the student body either wanted her, or wanted to _be_ her.

Jonouchi was hardly passing judgment, though. Kaiba was extremely alluring, and not just because she had a face that looked made for television. It was hard _not_ to want her when she smirked at the camera, her eyes started twinkling deviously, her tone suggesting a coming storm-good or bad. Whenever she came on, Kaiba could just steal all the attention in a room and completely refocus it on her. Her allure went well beyond just simple charisma.

Jonouchi decided he should turn off the TV and tried to pretend he didn't feel the burning in his cheeks. He turned his attention to his school bag, which wasn't going to make him any happier, but he was supposed to be doing homework.

There were some English papers waiting to be completed. He didn't want to think about the amount of effort he'd need to put into it to actually finish them, but at least if he needed help, Anzu probably wouldn't mind getting a call for assistance. She had told him frequently that it was better to try to ask for help than struggle alone and fail a class. Maybe eventually she'd end up eating her own words, but for now, Jonouchi decided to test that theory out.

It was better to try getting some work done while his father was asleep. Although he wasn't drunk (or at least didn't appear to be), that didn't mean Jonouchi senior wasn't a pain in the ass to deal with. When he wasn't being a mean drunk, he was an apologetic sober mess, and Jonouchi didn't want to deal with him. The former was disruptive and normally didn't end well, and the latter just made Jonouchi extremely uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, they couldn't afford an apartment with two bedrooms, so there was no way for Jonouchi to lock out his father when he wanted to get into a pity fest. All he could do when it started was listen until there was no time for it any longer, then blow his father off. It led to a lot of discord in the house, but what else could he do? He didn't have time to hear all his father's woes when literally anything else would have been more deserving of his attention instead. His patience for his father's well-intentioned, but empty apologies had worn thin early in his teen life.

He'd heard all the excuses before, too. Having them slung at him over and over again helped neither him, nor his father. Jonouchi took his English text book out of his bag, along with a ruled notebook. He started scribbling a paper in what he knew was poor English as he tried finishing the homework he had started during his last period class.

At least study hall was good for something.

Jonouchi sighed. Study hall was such a waste of time. He was no good when left to his own devices - studying was hard for him without his friends to keep him focused, and Yugi was sitting across the classroom, out of reach. Not that they would've been able to talk much, but at least it would've been easier to pass notes.

He stared at his English notes forlornly, doodling a little in the margins. Yugi, ever the good student, was deeply focused on his physics textbook, his brows furrowed in concentration. Jonouchi considered blowing spitballs at him just to see him squirm a bit, but decided against it. Chono-sensei was their study hall instructor, and although most of the time she sat at her desk, filing her gaudy nails, she was known to have a mean temper.

Jonouchi decided not to try his luck. He was doing pretty well for himself ever since he left the gang, and he didn't want to invite trouble. He had a couple of magazines in his book bag - some girlie ones and the newest gaming magazine he'd borrowed from Yugi. Jonouchi much preferred to play video games when he had the opportunity-old-fashioned tabletop gaming turned him off nearly at just the mention of them. But Yugi kept going on and on about this popular card game he wanted him to try out, and Jonouchi decided he would, because Yugi was his best friend. Even though he hadn't even heard of the game before. That made sense, though - Yugi's grandpa owned a game shop, so Yugi was always on top of the latest gaming trends.

But Jonouchi's brain was so fried. After staring at his English notes for so long, with words he could barely understand (let alone pronounce), all Jonouchi wanted was a distraction.

Well, maybe he would try his luck, after all. Chono-sensei didn't seem to be paying any attention to the class, so if he was quick about it, he could probably sneak at least one of the magazines. After taking a quick survey of the room to make sure no one was monitoring him, Jonouchi reached down into his bag with both hands, shuffling one of the magazines into the middle of his English textbook. He grabbed his pencil case, too, for good measure, positioning it at the top of his desk in an attempt to barricade his growing pile of books. He did a silent victory cheer to himself when he laid the textbook out across his desk and couldn't keep a stupid little grin from tugging at the corner of his lips.

Jonouchi was so engrossed with paging through _tasteful modeling_ photos that he didn't notice the classroom door beside him quickly open and close. It wasn't until he heard the scraping of seat legs and a heavy thudding that he noticed someone had arrived unceremoniously at the desk in front of him. Long legs crossed under a skirt uniform, short brown hair - what was Anzu doing in this class?

But no - even through his peripherals, he could tell there was something off about the shape of the hair. The color was off, too - less red, and more natural dark brown... Shit! It was Kaiba!

Jonouchi scrambled to close his book without drawing too much attention to what he was _actually_ reading, but in his panic, the book snapped audibly shut. Chono-sensei wasn't at her desk, thank god - probably had run off to the restroom to powder her nose or some shit. But it put Jonouchi on edge - how long had she been gone? And for that matter, how much had Kaiba seen?

He tried looking over her shoulder, but that only got him close to almost having his nose knocked in the face by a moving text book. Clearly, Kaiba was paying him no mind whatsoever. She was in her own little world, taking out different text books from her book bag and laying them all out on her desk to complete. Her notebook was covered in notes, all English, and it made Jonouchi internally groan when he realized how far ahead she was from the rest of the class. Of course, from what he'd seen already on TV, she was a fluent speaker. Why she even bothered with school, he didn't know.

Trying to straighten himself out, he slowly picked up his own textbook again and tried reading over the homework from the night before that he conveniently missed. It was hard to pay attention, since his eyes kept traveling back up towards the back of Kaiba's head, and he knew she wasn't actually paying attention. Probably didn't even know who he was.

Well, that wouldn't do. No girl, no matter who she was, could intimidate Jonouchi Katsuya. He puffed out his chest, trying to summon up courage he knew he didn't even really have before opening his mouth and failing to say anything.

Someone coughed in the back of the room. It only made his awkwardness even worse as his face started to burn and he could feel himself sinking into his seat. When did he ever care so much over what some girl thought of him.

Fuck it.

He'd considered tossing his eraser at her to get Kaiba's attention, but in his past experience with girls, he knew they didn't care much for things being thrown at them. So he nudged her with the end of his pencil instead. The first nudge got no response, so feeling slightly annoyed and a bit bolder, he gave another hard nudge.

Kaiba turned her head quickly after the second time, eyes sharp and slightly narrowed as she looked behind her. She clearly didn't recognize Jonouchi at all when their eyes locked and frowning, she brushed off the corner of her shoulder where the eraser had touched her before speaking.

"What's your problem?"

"There's no problem. I saw you on TV last night," Jonouchi replied, knowing that provided no explanation whatsoever, and pretending he thought it did.

"And?" Rolling her eyes, Kaiba snorted before speaking again, "I don't see how that relates to you interrupting me from my homework."

Jonouchi could feel her irritation, but decided to press on. "It's just, where do you find the time? To do all that and still be a student? I can barely keep up with our work as it is. Oh, and Death T looks pretty cool, by the way."

"I've had tutors for a long time. Most of this stuff you're just learning, I've known years before. School isn't that hard for me... You're interested in Death T? Well, I'm sure it'll be quite the experience once it opens next week. If you have any luck, maybe you'll win some VIP tickets through the Kaiba Corporation website before it opens..."

Jonouchi's eyes brightened at that. Maybe luck was on his side today. After all, no one had caught his little magazine trick, and Kaiba - the hottest girl in school - was actually talking with him. And now insider info about the chance at VIP tickets?

"Yeah, that sounds awesome. I'll have to let Yugi know - if he enters, it'll double our chances, and I know he's been dying to check out KaibaLand..."

"You know Mutou Yugi?" asked Kaiba, her face turning from curious to friendly, "I've been trying to meet him for ages, but I've been a little shy about talking to him. Do you think you could introduce each other? I'd really like that. I'm a big gamer, and everyone tells me he's the best at games here..."

"Shy? The new CEO of Kaiba Corp?" Jonouchi smirked. "I should've tried talking to you sooner, then! Yeah, me and Yug' are best buds. His family runs a game shop, so maybe I can take you there if you're not too busy..."

"Oh I'd love that!" Turning completely around, Kaiba folded her arms and rested them on the back of her seat, crossing her legs at the side of her chair before twirling the ends of her hair, "I've been looking for new cards for ages. I didn't know where all the good game shops around here are located, but if you could take me over there, that would be great. I need to work on my deck, anyways. I'm afraid I don't know too much about what monsters to get."

"Your deck?" Jonouchi blinked in surprise before brightening with recognition. "Oh, you play that new game, huh? It's called Duel Monsters or something?"

It was a surprise for Jonouchi - he knew Kaiba's company dealt with technology, and that Kaiba was a gamer, but he hadn't taken her for a fan of something so low-tech. Next she'd be looking for tabletop figurines.

"Yes, I play Duel Monsters," replied Kaiba, "Sometimes. I just started. I'm still learning the game, but I bet your friend could help me, right?"

"Yeah, Yugi is great at any game he picks up. In fact, he's trying to get me into playing Duel Monsters - even lent me this magazine profiling all the top players. I haven't had a chance to look at it, though."

"I'm sure you're not really missing much of anything," laughed Kaiba before she glanced back at Yugi's direction again, "Usually the top player ranks don't change that much year to year. It's not that exciting.

"What's exciting is trying to get new cards. I'm looking for one special monster in particular, but it's so rare, I don't think I'll be able to find it. It would be nice if Yugi's shop maybe carried it. Have you ever heard of a Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

"No, but it sounds pretty awesome! Although, Yugi did mention that his grandpa had this really special card. Maybe it's the one you're looking for?"

"I doubt it..."

Kaiba changed positioning, setting her leg down before crossing the other one again. She glanced towards the front door, but thankfully Chono-sensei hadn't returned yet. Apparently her face was still in desperate need of assistance.

"But who knows, maybe I'll get lucky," sighed Kaiba forlornly. "I'd pay anything to have one. Then I'd never lose a duel. You can't, with a card like that. It's so powerful, Pegasus, the creator, only made four. I'm going to get them all, one day."

Jonouchi let out a low whistle. "Sounds pretty intense. What do you say about maybe coming to the store today after school? Yugi and I already had plans to try out some games, and I'm sure he'd welcome the extra company."

"Sure, sounds like a date. I'll meet you there right after class."

Chono-sensei appeared right after and Kaiba quickly moved back to sitting forward, delving back into her English textbook like she'd never left it. When the teacher glanced over the class, Kaiba went on scribbling undetected, and Jonouchi almost got caught with nothing before he scrambled to open his book again and buried his face in the text to look busy.

A date. A date with _Kaiba_. Jonouchi was soaring, barely restraining the glee he wanted to express. He found it terribly challenging to contain his excitement. Wait until Yugi heard about this! Scratch that, wait until _Honda_ heard - the bastard would never believe it, and if he did he'd be so pissed. Kaiba had actually given Jonouchi the time of day, and everything had turned out perfectly. She was even the one to call it a "date," and Jonouchi was beside himself with happiness.

The most popular girl in school, with banging good looks and mile-long legs, had agreed to spend her free time with him. With any luck (Jonouchi was full of it lately, it seemed), he'd actually be good at this Duel Monsters game, and then he could spend _more_ time with Kaiba - maybe even teach her a thing or two.

Jonouchi couldn't say he was sorry for bothering her now. Things were finally looking up for him, it seemed.


	2. Chapter 2

When Jonouchi had told Yugi later that Kaiba was joining them, however, he seemed a little apprehensive.

"You know she's a professional level player, right Jonouchi-kun?" Yugi asked, looking up at his friend while they walked together towards the Kame Game Shop. Although Jonouchi was almost twice as big as Yugi was, Yugi had a way of appearing older when he was concerned over something. Jonouchi thought he was being silly over the whole deal, but Yugi couldn't be reasoned with.

"I mean, maybe she is just looking for cards," he mused aloud, "But you gotta be careful, Jonouchi. Professional duelists can be tough and some will do whatever they can to get cards. I heard about some people even stealing rare cards from kids at school..."

"Yugi, you're being paranoid. Kaiba's a girl, I don't think she'd do something criminal like that..."

"Well, you never know."

Jonouchi blew him off with a snort, rolling his eyes as they went past the usual bus stop. Usually Yugi was more enthusiastic about meeting people. He always seemed ready to make new friends, but something about Kaiba put him on edge. Was Duel Monsters really that serious? Jonouchi didn't think so. How silly would that be, beating up kids to steal silly game cards?

Besides, girls didn't get serious about shit like that.

"Whatever Yug', just meet her and give her a chance. Also, I want you to teach me how to play. Maybe you could get me a few good cards after she comes around."

"You want to play, Jonouchi-kun?"

"Of course!" Jonouchi shouted, breaking into a wide smile, "It sounds like fun."

"Yeah, it is fun," replied Yugi less enthusiastically, "but the game is hard and the competitions can be rough. Grandpa has been tutoring me for a while now, and I'm just starting to get good. It's not something you'll learn to master overnight, Jonouchi-kun. You'll have to work hard at it."

"Come on, Yugi, it can't be that hard. Besides, I'm a quick study!"

Honda would be meeting them soon with Anzu and Miho. He couldn't wait to tell him who was meeting them at the Kame Shop. Although he wasn't as into gaming as Jonouchi was, he'd know who Kaiba was just from watching her at school. All the guys watched her, although the majority were too intimidated to talk to her since she had a rather cold exterior to her, but Jonouchi figured it was how popular girls were.

Especially since she was a celebrity of sorts. People probably approached her all the time.

"What kind of cards do you think you'll be looking for, Jonouchi-kun?" asked Yugi as they continued walking together, trying to break the silence as Jonouchi's face grew into a goofy grin, "Did you look at those gaming magazines I gave you?"

"Not yet. Got distracted during study hall."

"You're not supposed to be reading for fun during class, you know better!" yelled Yugi excitedly before he slapped his forehead with a sigh, "You know Jonouchi-kun, if you tried actually studying for your classes, you wouldn't need Anzu-kun's help so much."

"Yeah well, maybe I like asking Anzu for help," teased Jonouchi with a wicked grin, "Did you ever think of that?"

Yugi's face burned red before his eyebrows narrowed and his lips got tight.

"That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny, I'm just telling you how it is."

Jonouchi was lucky that Yugi wasn't a violent person. He just got really quiet as he silently stewed in jealousy. They were approaching the Kame Shop and Jonouchi was close to laughing out loud over the entire thing. He wasn't actually going to make a move on Anzu, since Yugi liked her so much, but she was cute and he wasn't going to say no to the extra attention from her anytime soon.

Besides, it got him away from his apartment and sometimes Anzu's parents let him sleep on the couch. They were nice and middle class and actually feed him real food for dinner. Jonouchi liked Anzu's parents and they seemed to tolerate him well enough to not kick him out.

When they reached the shop, Yugi's grandfather was cleaning up. Jonouchi gave him a quick greeting before going over to the card booth and looking through all the booster packs. Yugi came over to help explain what he needed, grabbing different packs before counting them all up.

"You'll need both good monsters, magic, and trap cards, but the rare strong ones will just come in time. Usually you won't get them with your first deck."

"Then how do I get them at all?"

"By winning duels, of course!" laughed Yugi, "And buying new booster packs! Sometimes you'll get something really good and powerful, but you can't ever count on it. Here, I picked some good cards for you. Buy them and then we'll see what you have for your first deck!"

"Yug', I don't got any money..."

Jonouchi was broke. He didn't like thinking about how empty his pockets were, and Yugi's face immediately fell at that. They looked lost, staring at the handful of cards before Sugoroku Mutou came up from behind, smirking before taking the cards out of Yugi's hands and giving it to Jonouchi.

"You want those cards, Jonouchi?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows in an attempt to look serious.

"Yes! More than anything! I just can't pay for them."

"Then you'll work for them!" announced Sugoroku loudly before throwing a broom in Jonouchi's way, "I'll give you those cards and teach you how to play if you help me with the shop. Do you think you can handle being my student?"

Jonouchi snorted and rolled his eyes, "I can handle whatever you give me. It's not like I haven't had a job before..."

"Good. You come here after school every day and clean this place, restock the shelves, clean out the back, sweep the floors, clean the glass, help my customers, get the new packages into storage when they arrive from orders, and I'll teach you how to become a champion."

Jonouchi's face fell a little. He knew he could do it, but it would be a lot of work. He also didn't know how he'd manage with school work and his crappy neighborhood to get to so late at night, but he'd always figured it out before. He'd just have to figure out some way to make things work again.

"You're on, Oji-san. I can do this."

"Good. Enjoy your last day of freedom then, Jonouchi."

Sugoroku laughed wickedly before disappearing through the back room door, leaving Yugi to smile sheepishly as Jonouchi looked down in confusion at him.

"He's very serious about his work," Yugi explained, "But he's a great duelist, and if you work hard, you'll be as good as me in no time."

Jonouchi brightened at that. "You're on, Yug'!" he exclaimed. Jonouchi was always up for a challenge, so as long as he had a goal in mind, hard work never bothered him. Besides, if Kaiba was nearly as good as Yugi claimed she was, Jonouchi was in for a surprise. Kaiba had claimed she was just a beginner, so why would she lie...?

Before he could think too much about it, though, Honda appeared. Anzu and Miho were missing, but he was sure they'd be coming soon enough. If anything, it only made Jonouchi more anxious as he waited for Kaiba to show up. Maybe she was busy with something. She did say she was coming, and there was no reason for her not to since she seemed excited to see new cards.

"Where's the girls?" Jonouchi asked as Honda nearly knocked him over to see the newly-arrived cards that sat in the cases instead the glass counters, "I thought you were going to walk them over."

"They're coming, Anzu's just being slow, as usual, and Miho didn't want to leave her behind. She's so sweet like that, you know?"

Honda was obsessed with Miho. Why, Jonouchi didn't know. She was boring and kind of stupid, but maybe Honda was just into that sort of thing.

Kaiba was different, though. She didn't seem like other girls, at least - she was beautiful but mysterious, and Jonouchi couldn't quite pin her down. She was aloof to most of their classmates, but she talked to him easily earlier that day. Maybe she was just shy? But that seemed silly - she ran her own company and had to do all those TV ads. Maybe she was just waiting for a friend? In any case, Jonouchi couldn't quite wrap his head around her, but he kind of liked it that way. It was a game, of sorts, trying to figure her out - and Jonouchi was a gambler.

He looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes had already passed from the time that Kaiba said she'd stop by. Jonouchi started to get antsy - maybe she lost interest? Or some business came up? Or perhaps she'd seen through his lame bravado and decided he wasn't worth the time.

The door chime rang, and Jonouchi's head snapped to the front of the Kame Shop. "Oh, it's just you, Anzu," he muttered half-heartedly.

"'Just me?'" Anzu stressed, only partially insulted. "Who were you expecting?" She dropped her bag to the floor, Miho tip-toeing around her and bowing self-consciously, shuffling next to Honda.

"His new girlfriend!" boasted Honda loudly, "I heard about you and Kaiba talking in study hall. Did you ask her out or something?"

"I didn't ask her out - she said it was a date! Turns out Kaiba's all into Duel Monsters, so I told her about Yug's shop. She seemed totally into it, and by it, I mean me," Jonouchi shot back proudly, puffing his chest a little.

"Somehow I doubt that," snorted Honda as he crossed his arms, "She seems like someone who likes class, which counts you out."

"Whatever, man, we'll let her be the judge of that!" Jonouchi crowed. Even though Kaiba had yet to show up, he was still flying high on their study hall conversation. He couldn't name any other person that Kaiba had deigned to talk to, so Jonouchi already considered himself miles ahead of the others. "Just wait and see, she'll be here."

Or he hoped she would. The minutes were creeping by, and Jonouchi started to wonder if maybe she wouldn't show after all. Or maybe she just had a flair for drama and preferred to be fashionably late. Girls, sometimes...

Anzu face palmed as Jonouchi got more heated with Honda. Yugi looked slightly uneasy, but Jonouchi was going to ignore them both. They didn't know anything. Besides, even if Kaiba didn't end up being some girl for him to date (because honestly, she was way above his league anyways), they could still maybe end up as friends. Or dueling buddies. That didn't seem that unlikely, especially if Oji-san taught him how to play well and it ended up impressing her.

"KaibaLand is having an opening day this weekend, anyways," Jonouchi added, trying not to feel beaten, "We should all go."

"But how are we supposed to get tickets?" asked Anzu. "I heard opening weekend was already sold out - they've been advertising it for weeks, now."

"Ask Kaiba when she gets here. Maybe if you guys are actually nice to her, she'll help us out."

"I don't know," said Honda, "Kaiba doesn't seem like the charitable type. I'm sure there will be a catch."

"Maybe Jonouchi-kun's right, Honda-kun. No one's really tried talking with Kaiba-san. We should just give her a chance - maybe she just doesn't know where to start with people," reasoned Yugi.

Jonouchi snorted loudly before crossing his arms and leaning against the glass counter. He closed his eyes and smiled smugly before he heard Honda say, "Well, I guess we'll find out now," right as the door opened and the little bell went off. Opening his eyes suddenly, he nearly fell down when he saw Kaiba come walking in, briefcase in hand and skirt billowing from the wind from outside.

"Oh, there you are!" she greeted, looking at Jonouchi first, who clammed up quickly from shyness before turning toward the others, "You must be Yugi," said Kaiba as she reached the shortest of them all, "I heard you are quite the gamer."

Yugi blushed and gave a short bow, "I guess you could say that," he remarked. "I've just kind of been raised around this," he gave a cursory glance around the shop.

"Jonouchi told me you play Duel Monsters. I haven't actually met any decent players in quite a while, but I'm hoping to get a competition started once my park is open. Would you be interested in coming this weekend? You might get a chance to try out some new dueling platforms before everyone else does, if that interests you."

"Sure, if that's not too much trouble."

"Of course not. I own the place, after all."

Sugoroku came out from the back when he saw a glance of Kaiba standing near Yugi and Jonouchi, immediately stiffening from awkwardness before puffing out his chest and coming out to greet her. Yugi could feel himself getting embarrassed when he loudly broke their conversation, "Kaiba Seto, the International Dueling Champion, how can I help you? Is there anything in particular I could interest you in today?"

"International Champion?" said Jonouchi out loud, "I thought you said you've only started dueling."

"I said I dueled sometimes, Jonouchi," said Kaiba a tad sharply, "and I did just start. I just happen to learn rather quickly," she explained, batting her eyelashes a little more flirtatiously than Jonouchi knew how to react to, "I've only been competing for three years. That's not as long as most players in my bracket level."

"Only...three years?" Jonouchi gaped. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He hadn't even begun to duel! How was he ever going to impress Kaiba when the girl had three years of experience on him?

Yugi sighed. "That's why I wanted you to read those magazines, Jonouchi-kun..."

"I got distracted, sorry."

"Anyways," interrupted Kaiba smoothly as she looked at the different card cases, "I've been looking for a particular card of rarity and maybe this little shop has it. Do you know anything about a Blue Eyes White Dragon, by chance?" she asked Sugoroku, who just blinked his eyes a few times before looking a little strained.

"I have that card," he said hesitantly, "but it's not for sale."

There was a glint in Kaiba's eyes that set everyone on edge. "Money is no problem, I assure you. Make any offer you want."

"It's not about money," Sugoroku began, twisting his fingers together nervously. "That card means a great deal to me, and it those memories could never be replaced by anything you could give to me."

"I don't understand," Kaiba started, and in a flash she picked up her briefcase and opened the top, the space filled to the brim with cards all neatly held together. "There's nearly a quarter of a million dollars worth of cards in this case," she explained, "Maybe more if you went to the right dealers. I'll give you everything here in this case for that card. I have to have it."

The shop was silent, tension palpable in the air around them. "Your offer is generous, indeed, Kaiba-san. But I'm afraid I must stand by my original words. The card is not for sale," Sugoroku affirmed. "Perhaps I could interest you in a different card? We have plenty of rare ones here in the shop."

"There's nothing here I'm looking for outside of that one card," explained Kaiba, looking slightly anxious before closing her briefcase, "Could I at least see it up close? I've never had the chance before."

All eyes were on Sugoroku, who never took his eyes off Kaiba. "Well, what harm could be done?" Shuffling over to a corner behind the counter, the old man took a large key ring from his belt and started flipping through the numerous keys. Satisfied, he bent, his knees popping sharply, and with a click, he emerged with a small black case in hand.

Yet another small key opened this case, and he turned it around for all to see, setting it directly in front of Kaiba.

Kaiba reached out and picked up the card gently, staring at the beautiful light print where the dragon was etched out, bright and in perfect condition. She didn't move a muscle as her eyes studied it, and it wasn't until it looked like everyone was going to pass out from the tension did she finally down cast her eyes and sigh, briefly fixing her skirt awkwardly before setting the card back down, looking forlorn about the entire thing but not angry.

"Thank you anyways," she said. "In case you ever change your mind."

She dropped a business card and left hastily afterwards, grabbing her briefcase and waltzing right out of the store before anyone else could say a word.

"Holy shit!" Honda exclaimed. "A quarter of a million dollars - why didn't you take it, Mutou-san? I'm sure she would've even given you more!"

Sugoroku's lips were pursed into a thin line, his eyes staring down at the two cards in front of him. "This card has more value to me than any amount of money in the world, Honda-kun. It symbolizes a friendship that quite literally saved my life. I could never give it up..." he trailed off. But his expression didn't reflect the fondness of the memory, and his eyebrows drew down, creasing in concentration.

"What's wrong, grandpa?" Yugi asked, noticing his grandfather's distress.

"Oh nothing Yugi," he explained before smiling again, "It's a story for another time. Don't you all have homework you should be doing? Go back to the living room and get on it already, you'll scare away my customers if you all keep loitering around here."

Yugi walked out as asked, but Jonouchi noticed a rather strained expression on his face as the card was put back into its case. Jonouchi almost wanted to ask what was wrong, but he didn't get a chance before Honda grabbed him by the shoulder and led him out to where Yugi had his junk food for them.

But Jonouchi was still a little put off about the way Kaiba had acted. For a moment, it had almost seemed like she's been...possessed. Kaiba had always come off a bit strange and stuck-up, but this had been different - like a darkness had passed over her. It bothered Jonouchi too much for him to brush it off as his imagination.

"Hey guys, did Kaiba seem...a little...weird just a moment ago?"

"Weird how?" asked Honda before he snorted and laughed, "I thought she was perfectly normal, and by normal, I mean not into you."

Jonouchi huffed at that, "Don't be a dick, man, I'm tryin' to be serious!" When a series of confused eyes just stared back at him, he scratched at his hair self-consciously and said, "Don't tell me none of ya' didn't notice it? I dunno, there was a second where it felt like...Kaiba wasn't there. Like, nothing. A blankness. It was when she'd held Oji-san's card. There was something wrong about it."

"I think you're looking into it too much Jonouchi, she was just being her usual weird ass self."

Yugi shook his head at Honda's observation but didn't say anything. He seemed like he was thinking over something and Jonouchi was distracting him.

"She was pretty upset about not getting that card though," Honda added, "I can't believe Sugoroku didn't take the briefcase just for that one card. That was so much money, he could have retired with as much cash as he would have made out of that!"

"Nah, you know Oji-san's not about the money."

"Yeah well, I'm about the money," laughed Honda, "I still don't get why he'd do that. This shop is broke as it is. He could have used it."

Anzu and Miho looked uncomfortable while Yugi kept staring at his bag of chips forlornly.

"I think she might do something though," said Anzu after a moment of uncomfortable silence, "She was really upset. Not even by the way she talked, but like Jonouchi said, something was wrong with her eyes. She looked... empty. I'd watch out, Yugi."

"Oh don't worry about me, Anzu-kun, I'll be all right."

Yugi of course smiled and stuffed his face full of chips, but it did nothing to calm the group.

"Hey, Yug', you've been kind of quiet, over there. What do you think about the whole matter?" prodded Jonouchi. He knew his friend - something was bothering Yugi, but he didn't want to bother the group with it. Hell with that.

"Nothing Jonouchi-kun, I'm fine. Really, we should watch a movie or something together instead of worrying over Kaiba-kun. I'll talk to her at school and straighten the whole thing out. She probably just doesn't understand Oji-san, and his friend who saved him in Egypt gave him that card, so... he can't give it up. I'm sure once I talk to her alone, she'll be fine."

Jonouchi knew that Yugi was just trying to brush the matter aside and not worry them, but he felt bad pressing it. He didn't like seeing his friends worry, but it wasn't like he could beat whatever concerns Yugi had out of him - he wasn't a bully anymore. When the time was right, Yugi would talk to him.

Yugi wound up going through the basics of Duel Monsters with Jonouchi, while the rest of the gang played video games in the next room. It wasn't until Jonouchi saw the glow from the street lights that he realized how late it was.

"Aw shit, I didn't realize the time. I gotta get home before Dad realizes I've been gone for so long." Jonouchi quickly stuffed the starter deck and booster packs that Yugi had given him into his book bag, along with some extra magazines about the game - "for studying purposes," according to Yugi. Throwing his bag over one shoulder, he shouted goodbyes to the group, running down the stairs and through the front doors of the shop with a quick wave to Sugoroku.

* * *

I use American currency instead of yen because it's easier to understand in terms of value.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

He slowed his pace once he was a few blocks down the road. He didn't want to draw much attention to himself so late at night, and the incident with Kaiba earlier still weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he hadn't imagined it - Anzu had also agreed that Kaiba had acted strangely.

Looking around as he walked through the streets in the dark, Jonouchi settled it that he would seek Kaiba out the next day and make sure nothing bad was really going on. He hated the idea of there being some sort of conflict arising between her and his friends because of his doing. That wasn't in his plan.

"I bet she won't even talk to me now, thanks to Sugoroku..."

He was such an odd man. As much as Jonouchi was thankful to get the help with dueling, he didn't get why he couldn't just give up the dang card when Kaiba was offering so much money for it. Was a friendship really worth that much?

Once he reached his apartment building, Jonouchi had to race up several flights of stairs to get to his floor. The elevator was broken and the management never intended to fix it. At least it made him strong, and once he got up to the sixth floor, Jonouchi got out his key and unlocked the door, being immediately greeted by slurring insults and a book to the face.

"Do you have any idea what time it is right now?" started a masculine voice, "If you were going to come home this late, you should have stayed out."

Jonouchi quickly slid through the open door, shutting it closed behind him. He was sure his neighbors already heard his father's drunken tirades through the walls, but he wasn't about to give them front-row seats to the show. His cheek was smarting - he'd have to ice it quick before it morphed into a black eye - but he knew if he showed any indication of pain, it would just make his father angrier.

"Sorry, Tou-san! I wasn't doing anything bad - I was just studying with my friends..." Studying, sure - not exactly school stuff, but if he'd admitted he was just hanging out with friends until late at night, it would only provoke his father even more.

"Last time you said that, you came home drunk and full of bruises..."

Apparently Jonouchi senior didn't care enough to say anything more, though. He tuned Jonouchi out before stumbling into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He left beer cans and junk food everywhere, as well as a half-eaten carton of fried rice on the coffee table. His girlie magazines were scattered all over, but at least he left a wad of cash laying around so Jonouchi wouldn't have to go steal some to take the bus to school.

Jonouchi stood frozen at the door until he heard a soft snoring from his father's bedroom. Sighing, he reached behind and flipped the lock without looking, kicked his shoes off, and then tip-toed to the kitchen. They didn't have any ice, so Jonouchi had to settle for a bag of frozen edamame - at least the food wouldn't be ruined if it thawed completely, and he could shove it back into the freezer without his father noticing. He padded across the room, silently shutting his father's door, and then flopped onto his futon.

It was late. Most of his homework was done, thanks to Anzu's constant nagging, and although he still didn't understand the English language, at least his teachers would be appeased.

His good for nothing father didn't even try teaching him. What was the use of having an expatriate father if he wouldn't even bother teaching his son his native tongue? As much as he ranted and raved over hating all things Asian, he couldn't be fucked to teach Jonouchi enough about his culture to pass a damn English class. No wonder no one on the Japanese side of his family wanted anything to do with him. Nor did his ex-wife, and that hurt the most, because she dumped Jonouchi on him after they divorced and now they didn't speak at all.

Jonouchi was only ten. Now his mother had already married some new salary man and was in Tokyo doing who knew what with his sister. He got stuck with his good for nothing father, and all the man knew how to do was fix bikes and cars, as well as getting stupid drunk. He was a mess, and sometimes Jonouchi actually really pitied him, but mostly, he pitied himself.

But Jonouchi didn't want to think about that shit now. He knew his life could be depressing, but he tried to make the best out of it, even if he made some stupid decisions along the way. Okay, maybe a lot of stupid decisions.

Thinking about his English class led him to think about study hall, and how he'd actually gotten Kaiba to talk to him. He couldn't believe he'd been able to hide that girlie magazine in his textbook, and he thanked whatever luck he had left that Kaiba hadn't noticed (or hadn't bothered to comment, if she did).

He actually hadn't been able to look at the magazine since he'd spent the entire class talking to Kaiba, so he fished it out of his bag. Might as well have a distraction while he iced his stinging face.

The girls on the pages were typical porn stars - big fake boobs, curved asses, and puckering lips. Compared to Kaiba, they looked like clowns. Now it was almost silly looking at the pictures. They were great every once in a while, but girls didn't actually look like that and Jonouchi wondered if he liked it because they were sexy or because everyone else thought they were.

Even Anzu, as curvy as she was, didn't look like the girls on the magazine. She had long slender legs and a slim waist with big brown eyes that were almost doe like, but Anzu did not look like some blow up sex doll from one of the stores down the street. Nor did Kaiba, despite how alluring she looked in her skirt with her bare legs showing under as she sat cross legged in class. Sure, Jonouchi sometimes wondered what her underwear looked like as well as her ass when certain thoughts escaped him (like he wondered about everyone else at school), but he knew she didn't look like a porn model.

Annoyed, he tossed the magazine across the room and gave out a big sigh before shutting his eyes. Now how was he supposed to get off? Was this how Yugi felt when he watched porn with them? At least Honda wasn't too picky, he seemed to like anything that was given to him...

"Honda's an idiot, though."

It was getting late. He tossed the now-softening bag of edamame to the side of his futon - he hoped it wouldn't spoil overnight. Damn, his hands were cold. Well, that about ended whatever plans he'd had for jerking off before bed.

God, this sucked. His day had actually started off pretty well for a change, and then shit had to get weird with Kaiba, he'd come home to his drunk-ass father, and now this. Sighing, he turned onto his side, beating the lumps out of his pillow, and shut his eyes.

It was study hall, and yet again, Jonouchi was struggling with his English notes. The mid-afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, bouncing softly off the empty desks. Where had everyone gone? Had he missed some announcement in home room...?

He heard a snap to his right, the door recoiling on its rollers. Kaiba strolled in, her long strides kicking her skirt up mid thigh high. She turned towards Jonouchi and smirked, jumping up slightly to sit on the edge of his tabletop. Jonouchi had to quickly move his hands away before she sat on them.

"What're you doing?" she asked, her blue gaze half-hidden by long eyelashes. "I saw your notes yesterday in class. You look like someone who could use some tutoring in English, am I right?"

She smirked again before shoving one of Jonouchi's books away, knocking it off the table before crossing her legs across the desk top. It was like she was asking to get stared at. Jonouchi didn't think anyone could beat Anzu in the looks department, considering she danced nearly every day, but somehow Kaiba managed to. Her legs were toned, and he could tell that she wasn't even wearing any sort of hosiery like the other girls did to hide their skin blemishes.

"But if you're not interested, that's fine," Kaiba continued, "We could always do something else. Your choice. It'll be a while before everyone else comes back from lunch, anyways."

"What else do you have in mind?" Jonouchi ventured. He wasn't sure why Kaiba was talking to him, let alone interested in his English grades, but hell if he was going to let this opportunity pass him by. She was tapping her nails on the desktop, drawing Jonouchi's attention to how high her skirt had hiked up.

"We could play a game."

"What kind of game?" Jonouchi asked hesitantly, "I don't have any duel monster cards or anything like that with me."

Kaiba snorted. She looked amused, by the way she shook her head like Jonouchi had said something silly. "We don't need any cards to do this, you know. You like me, right?"

Kaiba had to be kidding. Where was she going with this? Jonouchi decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Yeah," he grinned, not out of cockiness, but inability not to, "I think you're all right."

"Just 'all right,'?" Kaiba teased, moving away the desktop quickly before swinging her legs around to either side of Jonouchi. She didn't seem to care about his embarrassment, putting both her arms around his shoulders before looking back behind her briefly.

"Come on. It's just us two in here. Tell me what you really think."

Then before Jonouchi had the time to react, she looked down at the zipper of his pants and her face turned determined. She went straight for it with both hands, opening his fly before he had time to stop her. He wanted to slap her hands away, but she was so confident about getting what she wanted, and Jonouchi couldn't lie and say he wasn't slightly interested in what was going on. When her hand touched him, he jumped in surprise, feeling the pressure of her fingers wrapped around him before quickly jerking his head up to look at her.

Now readjusting, Kaiba was smirking down at him, putting one hand on Jonouchi's shoulders to balance herself before stroking him.

"No lies, Jonouchi."

The feeling of Kaiba's breasts pressed against his chest and her hand on his cock almost made his mind completely shut down from over excitement, but it came coupled with overpowering nervousness. He felt like he shouldn't lie to her-he wasn't sure he _could_ lie to her right now-but the truth was difficult to say. He wouldn't say it just to _himself,_ given the choice. He made a few false starts before mustering up some conviction and inhaling a deep breath.

"I like you a lot, actually," Jonouchi admitted, his voice quieter than it had maybe ever been in his life. It was hard to focus, and all he could see was the shimmer of Kaiba's lipgloss as her smirk made it catch the light. "I've thought about you a lot, too," he stammered with a sloppy grin.

"How much is a lot?" asked Kaiba as her grip tightened and Jonouchi could make out the feeling of her thumb rolling against the head of his growing erection. He wasn't sure how she knew he liked that, but at that point in time, he also didn't care to ask. It felt too good, better than when he did it to himself, and if she wanted to have her way with him, well, she could go right on ahead. It wasn't like any other girls were interested.

"Do you like me enough to touch me back or are you going to sit there like a shy little boy until I jerk you off, hmmm?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Jonouchi nearly panted, exhaling in relief as he slid his right hand under her skirt from the thigh and upward. He wasted no time hesitating before getting his fingers under her panties and cupping her ass. His other hand grabbed at her breast, squeezing it before trailing upward to her collarbones and neck. His hand eventually settled in her hair, taking a firm grip. He used the leverage to bring her closer, leaving a wet trail of kisses up her jaw before whispering into her ear.

"These clothes are kind of bothersome," he remarked. With luck, he didn't sound as hopeful as he was. Despite the fact that Kaiba was being very obvious about what she was after, it still felt presumptuous to make any suggestions or commands.

"I think it's more fun trying to keep them on."

Kaiba lifted herself momentarily and yanked down Jonouchi's pants without asking, pulling down his boxers enough to expose his erection before she did the same to the underwear that was hiding under her blue pleated skirt. She didn't seem at all embarrassed about what she was doing, and Jonouchi noted the black lace underwear she took off. Kaiba held them in one hand before she moved back to his lap, using her other hand to get a firm grip on his dick again. Jonouchi sucked in a breath as he fully realized she was going to mount him.

He was overcome with panic for a split second. The awful thought that maybe he didn't actually want his first time to be at a school desk occurred to him. He brushed that off quickly-it didn't really matter in the end, did it? What _did_ matter was that it was his first time, and he didn't want to make this a bad experience for both of them because he didn't know what he was doing. If for whatever reason his dick chose this instance to pretend it hadn't had plenty of practice staying hard for extended periods, and if he pre-ejaculated, Jonouchi wasn't sure he could live it down. He'd never forgive himself.

For that matter, _Kaiba_ would probably never forgive him. He inhaled a shuddering breath and grasped her hips involuntarily when he felt her rocking against the head of his erection, the warm wet lips of her sex nearly making instinct override his concerns. But for once, ironically, Jonouchi's brain persisted in making him think. He couldn't believe he was even in this situation. With _Kaiba._ He'd always considered himself lucky, but this was a bit much. He hoped with all his might that he wouldn't botch up sex with the hottest girl he knew.

It was probably only because of his racing thoughts that he didn't come as soon as he felt the heat of her sex around him. The feeling was slick and pulsing, the tightness constricting in a way that made his dick throb, and he had to bite down on his lip hard enough to make it bleed to stop himself from coming prematurely. Kaiba at least looked as aroused if not more than he was, by the way her eyes closed halfway and her mouth opened to let out a moan. Her face hid into his neck, a hand going down his shirt while the other holding her underwear went across the other side of his shoulder.

"I can feel your dick twitch inside of me," she whispered in an amused voice. Jonouchi for some reason found that fact both arousing and embarrassing at the same time. Kaiba all of a sudden lifted herself up before he could respond though, rolling her hips back down into him in a slow, steady motion that caught him completely off guard. How the hell was she so skilled at this?

Jonouchi slipped out an involuntary moan at the sudden movement, his hips bucking up convulsively against his will. He could barely control himself now. His hands took a life of their own, settling on Kaiba's hips, rising and falling as she rode him relentlessly. They traveled up to hold onto her waist, which was shockingly slim.

He wanted to touch her bare skin, not feel her through her clothes. He slid his hands forward against her abdomen, playing with the top button of her jacket clumsily. He experimentally unfastened the first one, and when Kaiba didn't protest, he undid the rest of them, pulling her jacket down to her elbows with a bit of effort. He was so distracted by the sex, yet determined to quench his curiosity.

Her breasts shook as she pressed tightly against him, and Jonouchi could see the black lace of her bra peeking through the gaps of her blouse. He pulled at the joint of the garment with a fingertip until the top button gave way, as did the second. Her bra was fully exposed by this point, and he cupped her breasts firmly as she continued to move, her voice becoming more audible as she picked up speed. Her breasts were soft and full, pale like the rest of her skin, and Jonouchi noted a small beauty mark on her left breast close to the lace edge. His thumbs brushed lightly across her hardened nipples, earning him a gasping moan.

Leaning forward and nibbling at her collarbones, Jonouchi planted a soft kiss at the center of her chest. He wanted to taste her, so he reached around to unfasten the bra, fumbling with its clasp. He knew he was being clumsy, falling victim to the age-old joke about men and bras, but somehow he didn't feel embarrassed by it. He heard Kaiba huff just slightly in amusement, and he did the same-if more nervously. He busied himself with sucking and nibbling on her neck while he continued to struggle with her bra.

He couldn't manage it, though. Kaiba came faster than he anticipated, and right when she clenched around him, he could feel himself climax. He cried out loudly before jolting upright and finding himself on his futon, covered in sweat and still wearing the clothes from the day before. Jonouchi swore loudly into the living room. His underwear felt wet, and knowing he just ejaculated in his school uniform, Jonouchi cursed himself again as he jumped up and ran into the bathroom.

Thankfully he woke up early enough to make the bus on time. He stripped down fast, ignoring his clothes for later and jumped into a cold shower. It woke him up quickly, and he tried not to think about his wet dream before wrapping a towel around himself and looking in one of the clothes hampers for clean clothes.

One of his uniforms looked semi-presentable, and scrambling into it, he got dressed and grabbed a pre-packaged onigiri for breakfast. It was plain and Jonouchi didn't like eating bland food usually, but he had no choice. There was no time for trying to cook. He ran down the stairs, halfway down the building before realizing he left his satchel in the living room.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..."

He wasted another five minutes going back up and retrieving it before making it outside, sprinting down the sidewalk to the bus stop and making it thankfully right as his ride showed up. Yugi and the gang were sitting in the back, looking as cheerful as can be, and Jonouchi huffed as he took a seat next to Honda, stuffing his rice ball into his mouth before narrowing his eyes in the general direction of his apartment.

At least it wasn't his day for the paper route. He would have been late to school trying to ride his route on his busted bike, and his first period teacher actually cared about tardiness.

It was even worse sitting in study hall again. Kaiba took the seat in front of him, and Jonouchi had to avert his eyes to keep from blushing. He could feel his face heating up every time she shifted, and he couldn't stop himself from taking notice. She was distracting, right down to the smell of her perfume. For once, Jonouchi tried working on his papers and didn't allow himself to look Kaiba in the eyes, not that she was even paying him that much attention.

That was probably a good thing. Not only because of the embarrassingly realistic wet dream, but also because she didn't look happy to be in class. She always looked a little sad, almost in a mysterious sort of way that made her interesting to him, but with her lips pressed tightly together it was clear that she didn't want to be bothered.

Once Jonouchi's embarrassment subsided, though, he wanted to talk to her. It wasn't like he hadn't had seriously strange dreams about girls from his school before. There had been one about Miho once, who he didn't even like, as well as Anzu numerous times... He didn't like recalling the really strange ones, but people couldn't control their sex dreams. Sometimes shit just happened.

Besides, he wanted to smooth things over after what happened at the game shop the other day. It would be irrational for her to be mad at him over what Sugoroku did, but girls didn't always care about that sort of thing. Kaiba already didn't talk to too many people, and Jonouchi wanted to keep the lines of communication open between them for as long as possible.

He waited until Ms. Chono disappeared again to powder her face before tapping on her shoulder. At first Kaiba seemed like she was purposely ignoring him, but after he'd done it three good times, she eventually turned her face and gave him a quizzical look.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Jonouchi started, "Yugi's grandfather is a pretty eccentric guy."

Kaiba blinked as if she had no idea about what Jonouchi was talking about before her face relaxed and she brushed back her hair quickly as she started to laugh, "Oh, are you talking about that nonsense from after school? I'm already over that, don't worry."

Jonouchi frowned. Despite her smiling face, her eyes didn't really portray the same emotion behind them and he wasn't sure how true her statement was. It seemed like Kaiba was hiding something, but didn't want to share with him for some reason. Sure, they didn't know each other well, but Jonouchi was intrigued and he wanted to get to know her better.

"Are you sure?" he asked, "You look a little off today."

"Bad sleep last night," she smiled again, "Besides, don't you have homework to worry about instead of little old me?"

Blushing, Jonouchi couldn't respond to that question quickly enough before Kaiba turned around and went back to reading. He wished he had something clever to say back, but his brain was too confused over her teasing tone to think clearly about anything besides the dream from the night before. As much as he enjoyed it, Jonouchi really didn't want to get a hard on while in class.

He really liked Kaiba, and he wanted her to at least like him back as a friend, but it was hard talking to her when she politely blew him off. Jonouchi could already tell she was hiding behind a well-practiced smile, and it made him very curious. What was she hiding? What was Kaiba Seto really like?

Jonouchi fell into a sulking silence and Kaiba didn't speak to him again after that. The day just dragged on after study hall, and Jonouchi didn't see Yugi after school was finally over, but he wasn't going to worry about it. Maybe he decided to go watch Anzu practice dance or help with some school function, he didn't know. He felt strangely apathetic about everything, and taking the bus back to the Kame Game Shop, he allowed Sugoroku to drill him in duel monsters, creating a deck out of the cards he'd gotten the day before.

Creating combinations and figuring out different tactics for making a dueling deck were a good distraction, at least. Jonouchi didn't have the best cards, but he was pretty pleased with his Time Wizard. Not only was it a rare card, but it was strong when luck was on the user's side. Jonouchi both loved it and feared it. Sugoroku was going on and on about the duelist's heart being in his deck. Jonouchi thought he was a little nuts, but he was a good teacher.

He knew his first mistake was only concentrating on strong monster cards with high attack points. Sugoroku explained to him how to use trap and magic cards to power up monsters and surprise the competition, as well as playing a good defense and protecting one's life points.

It felt like an overload of information. Jonouchi didn't know what to do after learning how complicated the game was, but at least it was challenging without being too complex for him to follow. Math wasn't his greatest subject at school, but working down from two thousand points wasn't too hard, and most of the monsters had low attack point numbers anyways.

Honda and Anzu eventually came around to watch, but Yugi didn't return until after dark. He was smiling, content as ever, and once he settled in with a bag full of junk food and cans of soda, it was as if he'd never left. But when Jonouchi had asked where he'd been, Yugi claimed to not really remember. Something about running an errand at school before going back home, but Jonouchi couldn't think of anything that would keep Yugi for so long.

Yugi wasn't the kind of person who kept secrets, either. But with Honda and Anzu in the vicinity, Jonouchi didn't want to press.

But as Jonouchi stared at his friend, something continued to bother him. He recalled Yugi mentioning offhandedly moments where he couldn't remember details, or periods of time that seemed like blanks. He didn't think much of it, at first - it was the start of the school year, after all, and everyone was busy learning new schedules and routines. But now that he thought about it, Yugi wasn't the forgetful type - he was quite the opposite, in fact.

Yugi also always seemed quite shaken after each incident. Jonouchi started to feel guilty - had he been so preoccupied with his own life and his growing interest in Kaiba to not notice something troubling his best friend?

But he _seemed_ fine. Certainly if something was wrong with him or he felt like he needed help, Yugi would have said something already. Jonouchi couldn't be expected to be a mind reader. As he said with them in the living room, looking through dueling magazines and watching the competition on tv, Jonouchi glancing at Yugi, watching him eat pizza and make failed attempts at flirting with Anzu... Would he try to hide something if he really needed help?

Things got even stranger over the next few days at school. Kaiba had been missing from class. No one knew where she'd gone, and then one day the teachers said she'd pulled herself from classes and returned to home schooling. At first Jonouchi felt something close to heart broken, but when his disappointment passed, his curiosity started eating at him.

It didn't make sense for her to just leave after only a month at Domino High School. No one did that. Sure, she didn't need a public education, or even cram school because she probably had had tutors her whole entire life, but still. Why go through the hassle of registering only to leave in a few weeks?

None of his classmates knew why she'd left, either, but it wasn't like Kaiba talked to much of anyone at school. When a month went by, and there was still no trace of her, Jonouchi decided to do some digging of his own.

He sneaked some TV in whenever his father was passed out drunk, suffering through the nightly news for any speck of information he could get. He'd snatch leftover newspapers abandoned in the subway and page through magazines in grocery store aisles. But Jonouchi never found anything. It seemed that no one was interested in or even knew of what happened to Domino's wealthiest businesswoman. The only bit of information he was able to find was in one of Yugi's dueling magazines: a half-page announcement delaying the opening of KaibaLand. There was no further explanation - just a website where people could pre-order tickets and a vague timeline of "opening this fall."

Something was clearly going on. When Jonouchi had some spare change in his pocket, he took the bus over to KaibaLand to watch the construction. Things were being altered from the previous finished project. It was still unclear as to what they were doing-apparently the work was hush-hush and none of the workers would comment, but it seemed interesting.

On the other hand, Jonouchi felt silly for being so interested. They were probably all unrelated incidents. Yugi hadn't had a weird black out since that day, and maybe Kaiba never planned to stay in school. Maybe she was just testing it out and lost interest.

Then again, things got a little weird when Jonouchi ran into some high school students from the other major public school.

They belonged to Hirutani's class. Duel monsters was steadily becoming very popular, and apparently the gang there decided to start stealing the most powerful cards people had and sold them on the street for twice their worth, sometimes forcing the original owners to buy them back.

When Jonouchi did more investigating, he learned that men dressed conspicuously in black had been appearing at appointed locations to take cards from Hirutani in exchange for money. Stolen cards. Men in black who, according to some of the students, worked for Kaiba Seto.

Jonouchi didn't know what to make of it. Why would Kaiba be interested in black market cards, when she had enough money to buy them legitimately? She'd made that offer to Sugoroku, hadn't she? It didn't make sense for her or her employees to be dealing with gangsters.

It gnawed at him, maybe not because he couldn't get the pieces to fit together, but because they kind of _did_ fit and he didn't like the picture in the least. He could probably find out for sure if he did more snooping, but he wasn't sure how deep he wanted to get into it, assuming the word on the street was right. He'd finally broken away from the gang life, and he knew he was only in for more trouble if he went around poking his head in Hirutani's business.

Still, something about the whole thing made him worried for Kaiba-though he wondered fleetingly whether he should, under the circumstances. He was sure she had the means to take care of herself, but he had first-hand knowledge of dealing with gangs. It was like playing with fire, and if anyone higher up the ladder than Hirutani got involved, things could get ugly fast.

Jonouchi decided to do what seemed logical to him at the time: pay Kaiba a visit. It wouldn't be that hard to figure out where she lived - there were very few mansions in Domino City, and he'd seen pictures of the place from back when Kaiba Gozaburo still led the company. Sure, he'd still have to work around getting past or through her security team, but as Yugi had taught him, where there's a will, there's a way.

Kaiba Mansion was on the outskirts of town, a good two miles away from the nearest bus stop. Jonouchi was exhausted by the time he got to her street, but he was determined to find some answers after having persevered so long. He stopped short of the perimeter of the property, not wanting to draw attention to himself. "Huge" seemed like an understatement compared to the reality of the building.

It looked like a palace almost, from some period in another time. The house had at least three stories, but Jonouchi couldn't make it out in the dark, with a huge main building with two wings attached to both sides along with a huge tree lined driveway and grounds. It had to have belonged in the Kaiba family, because it didn't look new by any means, but something passed down through the generations.

The house was very European though, and Jonouchi found that a bit jolting at first. With the roman columns and huge windows, he didn't know what quite to make of it.

Then there was the matter of the gate. It was a mix of brick and wrought-iron, spanning the entire premises. Jonouchi was sure he could climb it, but getting over without hurting himself, getting stuck, or being noticed would be tricky.

Jonouchi casually walked along the side of the gate, careful to not appear suspiciously aimless. The mansion was surrounded by a forest, and he'd learned that there was a small creek nearby when he'd jotted down directions from a map. He headed toward the trees, hoping he looked like a neighborhood kid simply cutting through.

He was surprised to find no noticeable cameras along the gate, although he was sure Kaiba had some super high-tech shit installed exactly for people like him. He skirted along the backside, checking for holes or soft spots in the mortar but finding nothing.

The gate was just too damn high. But looking up, Jonouchi noticed a tree whose branch was just a little bit too long, overhanging the wall by a good half-a-meter. He could manage that. Pulling off his jacket and tossing it aside, cracking his knuckles for good measure, he grabbed onto the trunk, kicked a foot up, and heaved.

It wasn't that hard to climb. The tree's bark was supple, there were enough knots and branches for good footholds, and soon enough Jonouchi was balancing on the overhanging branch. Putting one foot in front of the other, he slowly eased his way across, trying to be as silent as possible. He crouched as he reached the edge, grasping the limb tightly, then carefully brought one leg over the trunk, so he could sit comfortably close to the balcony that stood in front of him. There was only one, so it had to belong to the master bedroom. That's how it always looked like in the movies, at least.

Scooting dangerously close to the end of a tree bough, Jonouchi got close to the railing of the balcony but decided to stay put. He was already trespassing - no need to add a little breaking and entering to his already colorful record.

He could make out the edge of a nightstand and desk lamp, and the large canopy bed beside it. A mop of unruly black hair was hovering by the edge. Jonouchi assumed it was Kaiba's little brother Mokuba-he'd never met the kid in person because he was in middle school, but what little information existed about Kaiba usually made some mention of Mokuba. That didn't explain what he was doing in Kaiba's bedroom so late at night, though. Jonouchi's eyes adjusted to the light pouring out from the room, and he could finally make out the figure reclining in the bed.

His heart skipped a beat. It was Kaiba.

Something was off about her, though. Her face looked ashen, her lips pale. Her eyes were closed as though she was sleeping, but her eyebrows were drawn together as though she was in pain or in the midst of a nightmare. Mokuba was kneeling beside her as though on watch, his expression sad and defeated, his hands grasping one of Kaiba's.

Something was wrong. Jonouchi wanted to ask what had happened, but if security found out he was there, he knew he'd be in huge trouble. Besides, Kaiba wasn't exactly a friend. He still wasn't sure what to make of her after what Yugi had said, but Jonouchi liked to believe the best of others... Even if it was sometimes a stupido thing to do. And had stung him more than once.

He sighed. He was well aware that nothing would come of this. If anything, he'd have to question someone who was close to Kaiba's inner circle. Maybe Mokuba himself-as far as Jonouchi knew, he was the _only_ person in Kaiba's inner circle. He was attending the public middle school, so Jonouchi figured he could find him sometime after school ended and ask. Maybe he'd let him come over so he could find out for himself what had happened.

Jonouchi's thoughts were quickly interrupted though when he heard the barking of dogs coming from behind the building. Security must have started their patrols. Jonouchi grew very nervous and scrambled to get back to the ground floor, almost falling on his ass as he tried to climb through the huge tree limbs and shimmy his way down the trunk before reaching the earth again. His senses were so piqued that it was over-stimulating him physically and making his arms shake.

He took a second to catch his breath, knowing from experience that trying to make a break for it with empty, tired lungs wouldn't work out for him. He launched forward full-force the moment it felt like inhaling was making a difference, and sprinted to the wall before climbing it quickly and vaulting over to the other side. He didn't need any dogs chasing after his ass. He'd been bit by one in the past and now had a pale, puckered scar on his calf from that incident. Jonouchi had learned his lesson about guard dogs well, and didn't need it refreshed.

Collecting his discarded jacket, Jonouchi shook it out and threw it over his shoulder. He was too worked up to wear it just yet, but he knew he'd be freezing by the time his heart rate slowed and the perspiration on his skin settled into a cold sweat. It was already pitch dark outside, and he had a long walk ahead of him to the bus stop. He hoped he hadn't gallivanted too long, and that the buses would still be running by the time he made it back.

It gave him plenty of time to process what few questions had been answered, and the many more he was burning to ask. Kaiba, to an everyday person's knowledge, had dropped off the face of the earth. Jonouchi would never have imagined she was holed up in her home, much less that it would be due to an mysterious illness that had her pulled from school so suddenly. Mokuba had looked too concerned for it to be a simple cold or common virus. That was concerning, and Jonouchi wished painfully hard that he had a way of asking after her health or visiting, but he knew that wasn't an option. The closest he could get to _that_ was dodging the mansion's guard dogs long enough to catch a glimpse of her.

If he wanted to find out what happened to her, he'd have to get close to her. The only way to do that would be through Mokuba. Jonouchi knew well enough that Kaiba wasn't exactly a socialite, despite her school popularity. In fact, aside from watching Mokuba kneel by her bedside, he'd never seen her intentionally with another person-except when she came to the Kame Game Shop. Even then, it had seemed more like she was there for the cards than him, but he couldn't deny it still made him feel a _bit_ special.

It looked like Mokuba would be his only avenue to Kaiba. Jonouchi felt a little guilty about using the kid, but he was genuinely concerned for Kaiba's well being, and knew he wouldn't be able to rest easy until he _knew._ He told himself that the ends would justify the means. Even if the means were befriending a middle school-aged kid for an ulterior motive. He hated to think that way, though, the more he turned it over in his head, so he decided he'd make an effort to really be Mokuba's friend. Assuming Mokuba was at least slightly more receptive to friendship than his sister.

Jonouchi arrived at the bus stop just as the last bus for the night was pulling up - looked like luck was back on his side this evening. He grabbed an empty seat in the back and slumped against the window, exhausted. When he finally got home, he quietly unlocked the door and slid in, letting his senses assess the situation before he turned anything on or took anything off.

Silence. Seemed like his father was gone for the night. All the better for him.


	4. Chapter 4

When school came, Jonouchi was surprised to arrive in home room and find Kaiba back in class, looking as normal as ever. Her sudden reappearance didn't sit well with him, but he didn't say anything about it. Some boy sitting next to them asked before he could summon up the courage to speak up, and Kaiba claimed to have caught mono, but Jonouchi wasn't exactly sure if he could believe that.

At least the teachers weren't concerned with it. Apparently she was so ahead of her classes that she wouldn't be pushed back from missing on school work. They all seemed indifferent to her disappearance, and Jonouchi was very bothered by it all. For all intents and purposes, Kaiba was gone for a month, and now she reappeared like nothing had happened.

Maybe he was looking into things too deeply. He could feel his brows furrowing as he worked on his English notes, smelling the shampoo in Kaiba's hair each time she shifted in her seat. The night before, she looked terrible, but now her skin was bright, her cheeks full of color, and her lips were their natural shade of light pink like the times before when he'd seen her. It didn't make sense. How could someone recover so quickly after being so ill?

Grumbling, Jonouchi decided to just ignore it. He couldn't have been more pleased when lunch came, and bolting out of the door, he quickly bought some bento box for lunch in the cafeteria line and found the usual table where he sat and ate with Yugi.

Yugi had his usual homemade bento box, thanks in part to his mother, while Anzu brought a sandwich and Honda had some rice with curry from the lunch line. They all seemed strangely indifferent to Kaiba's return, except for Ryou. He was the only one who stole glances her away, although it was brief.

"Guys," Jonouchi muttered, interrupting Yugi as he showed Anzu how to duel, "Didn't you notice that Kaiba's back in class again?"

Anzu rolled her eyes. Jonouchi narrowed his eyes at her for giving him that look. Was he not even allowed to be curious? _Girls_.

"Yeah, she caught mono," explained Yugi, "and she's better now. I'm happy for her."

"That can't be right! I climbed a tree up to her window and saw her sick enough to be hospitalized just last night, and now she's back in class like nothing had happened. That doesn't make any sense!" declared Jonouchi. "No one human recovers that fast!"

"Jonouchi!" yelled out Anzu rather loudly, "You can't just go sneaking into people's yards!"

"I can and I will," he yelled back defiantly, puffing his chest out for bravo, "and I'm telling you, something is wrong here."

"What the fuck, Jonouchi- are you playing Romeo to Kaiba's Juliet?" snorted Honda. "I mean, we always knew you were an idiot, but now you're a lovesick one on top of that?" he joked, punching Jonouchi lightly on the shoulder.

Jonouchi rolled his eyes. "Whatever, dude. You're telling me if Miho had disappeared for a month, you wouldn't be the least bit curious?"

"That's different!" Honda barked back, "Miho actually knows I exist, for one."

"Anyways," Jonouchi continued, ignoring his friend's comment, "like I said. The fucking CEO of the largest business in Domino vanishes for a month, and no one takes any interest in it? You should've seen the way she looked - like she had been on death's door but turned around at the last moment. Even her little brother looked all distraught and shit." Jonouchi sighed when all he got were apathetic looks. "C'mon, guys... Yug, what do you think?"

Yugi's eyes darted to Jonouchi, but he immediately looked away, uncomfortable. Jonouchi was about to say something when he heard someone lightly clearing their throat from behind him.

Suddenly the very subject of their conversation was standing right behind Jonouchi, smiling politely. He shrunk inwardly and wondered how long she had been standing there - god, he hoped she hadn't been listening in for long...

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting," began Kaiba as she pulled out an envelope from her breast pocket on her jacket, "I was sick for a few weeks with mono, but I feel much better now. So much better, in fact, that KaibaLand is going to open this weekend, and I'd appreciate it if you, Yugi, would come as my guest. You can bring along your friends, if you'd like."

Her blue eyes fell on Jonouchi for a second before a rather peculiar smile fell upon her lips, but it was too quick for Jonouchi to decipher too much about it. She looked back up at Yugi and almost gave a curtsey of sorts before turning and walking away.

Honda let out a loud snort before doubling over in laughter. "Looks like Juliet came calling, but for the wrong Romeo!"

"Real smart there, Honda - you should do a stand-up routine," retorted Jonouchi as he smacked his friend upside the head. Hard. "Hey, Yugi, open the invite! Tell us what it says!"

"I'm sure there's no deeper meaning in it, Honda-kun," said Yugi, whose face was flushed all the way to his shirt collar. He was turning the envelope over in his hands nervously, refusing to look towards Anzu, who was visibly turning a deep shade of red, but from other reasons. "After all, she said we were all invited," Yugi continued, slipping a finger under a corner of the invitation and ripping it open.

"Kaiba Corporation cordially invites you to the grand opening of KaibaLand. We will be introducing our special event, Death-T! By invitation only."

Jonouchi snatched the card from Yugi's hands, examining it. "Hey, there's something else written down here, too."

The print was small, but Jonouchi could make it out, "Warning, Death T is an intense attraction not intended for the faint of heart. All attendees will be required to sign a liability waiver before participating in case of injury. The ride features but is not limited to flashing lights, drops, scary images, and electric shock."

"I'm sure that's just a protocol thing," laughed Honda, "No ride would actually be that dangerous. Are you scared, Jonouchi? You don't have to come with us if you are. I'm sure Kaiba won't be bothered by you not participating. She might even prefer it that way."

"As if, Honda," snorted Jonouchi, "Maybe I'll even let you hold my hand during the ride, if I'm feeling charitable."

"Electric shocks, though," sniffed Anzu, whose complexion had paled as she read over the print again, "No thanks, I think I'll pass on that."

"Since Kaiba-san made it a point to specially invite everyone, I think we should all go," stated Yugi. "I'm sure Kaiba-san wouldn't put us in any danger. It's a ride, it should be fun. And we'll be the first kids in Japan to try it!"

Jonouchi flexed a bicep before shoving Honda again, being a bit more rough than he really had any right to be, "She's just a girl, what's the worst she can dish out? I mean shit, if we can handle Anzu while she's on the rag, I don't think this Death T shit can really be that much more scary..."

Anzu nearly leaped across the table, but thankfully Yugi pulled her back and tried soothing her before something further could happen. Honda tried not to laugh and Ryou rolled his eyes before sighing.

"You know guys, maybe this Death T thing isn't a good idea..."

Ryou rarely ever spoke up. Everyone looked at him surprised, and Jonouchi in particular blew him off with a dramatic eye roll.

"It just seems very strange to me that Kaiba-san would pick out Yugi of all people to test out a ride that needs a liability waiver. Don't you all think that's odd?"

"I think what Ryou means to say is that he's a wuss and won't be joining us!" interrupted Jonouchi before Yugi could comment, "If you don't want to go, no one's gonna make you, Ryou."

"Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi chided, giving him a stern look as he huffed and crossed his arms defiantly. He turned back to Ryou apologetically, "I don't think Kaiba-san has many friends at school. Maybe she wants to try being apart of our group now. She came to the game shop, so maybe she is interested in being our friend. We have Jonouchi-kun to thank for that," Yugi said, now giving his best friend a small smile.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. She invited you, Yugi, and the rest of us as an afterthought..."

"Regardless of that," Yugi continued, "the opening's this weekend. How about we all meet up at the shop beforehand and head over together?"

"I already have tickets to watch the ceremony," said Ryou softly, "I think I'll just meet up with you guys there if that's okay. I'm not really into big thrill games."

"If that's what you want," Yugi replied with a small smile, "I'm sure we'll see you there. What about everyone else? You'll come with me, right Jonouchi-kun?"

"Of course, pal. I ain't afraid of nothing!" declared Jonouchi with a laugh.

"Except zombies," coughed Honda, "and everything else paranormal..."

"Shut the fuck up, man! You can't beat ghosts with fists or shit!" cried Jonouchi. The lunch conversation devolved after that, with Honda and Jonouchi bickering while Anzu and Ryou quickly tried to finish their lunches. No one noticed Yugi falling more quiet than normal, absently playing with the chain to his Millennium Puzzle, looking as if he was in another world.

They all took the bus early to reach KaibaLand on time. Kids filled the front entrance, Jonouchi and the rest of the gang having to push through the massive crowd before they could reach security to show their VIP tickets. None of them could believe how many guests decided to show up that day just for the grand opening of the theme park, but KaibaLand had an incredible reputation. Domino City didn't have that much else, and most of the places that were fun to visit were in Tokyo, which was a few hours away by train and not accessible for most kids.

Jonouchi also noticed the class of children who filled up the lines. Most looked well off, but a few had adult chaperones with them. They appeared to be at-risk youth groups, and becoming curious, Jonouchi wondered if Kaiba had done that on purpose. How else would they have gotten tickets to such a sought-after theme park opening without getting some insider help.

He didn't get to think about it for long though. A sharp voice broke out through the crowd, "Kaiba's the devil! She killed her own father for the company, she killed Gozaburo-sama! She's-"

Before the crazed man could continue on, several security guards hauled him away. Jonouchi didn't know what to think of the whole scene, and Yugi looked slightly disturbed. A few kids pointed and laughed as the man was unceremoniously dumped across the street, running off to god knows where.

"Oh, don't mind him," said the main guard, "He's just an angry ex-executive that got fired after Kaiba-sama took over. Couldn't make the cut, you know."

"Yeah, I get ya," replied Jonouchi back, but that didn't stop his thoughts from darkening as his words echoed in his mind.

Security escorted them through the gates, taking their tickets and stamping their hands. "You're free to explore the park. Since you're VIP, you can go to the head of any line. The special event doesn't begin until three-thirty. You see that tower over there?" the security officer pointed, his finger directing toward an ominous-looking building, "That's Death-T. Show your invite, and they'll let you in. Don't be late - the event can't start until all VIPs are present."

They were left to their own devices after that. Not quite sure what to do, they lingered a bit, surveying their surroundings. Jonouchi immediately wanted to bolt in all directions, but Yugi appeared unsure of where to start first.

"Hey, do you think it's true?" Anzu asked in a hushed voice once they were alone again.

"Think what's true?" asked Honda.

"You know...about Kaiba. About what that man at the entrance was saying."

"Nah, I'm sure he's just some angry salary man who's out of the job, that's all," shrugged Honda, "He's probably got nothing else to do now that he's out of the job but being a giant nuisance to the rest of the world..."

Honda sounded sure of himself, but Yugi didn't look too comfortable with that answer. It made Jonouchi wonder. Yugi always had a good intuition when it came to reading people. He could somehow look inside of someone and just know what kind of person they were. If Yugi sensed something wrong in Kaiba, well, Jonouchi would trust his judgement. Even if he really didn't want to.

"Shut up already about it guys, there's rides to check out and we're gonna waste time talking about some stupid gossip yelled across a street?" interrupted Jonouchi. "Come on, we got free theme park tickets. Let's go try this stuff out before we gotta check in for that Death-T thing."

Time seemed to pass like a great blur once they started on their adventure. It had been years since any of them had gone to a theme park, and they all quickly reverted back into their inner child, rushing from one ride to another, stuffing themselves with junk food, competitive streaks arising at the carnival game stalls, mostly between hot headed Jonouchi and macho Honda.

"Hey, it's almost time, guys," Anzu announced after checking her watch. "Has anyone heard from Ryou? The opening ceremony's bound to be over by now. Can someone please call him?"

"I'm going to try to find someplace less noisy; don't run off," said Honda, flipping his cell phone open and stalking off.

"I hope Honda-kun's able to reach Bakura-kun in time," said Yugi. "I haven't heard from him at all today. I'd hate it if he thought we were ditching him..."

"Nah, he'll make it," Jonouchi replied, folding his hands behind his head and kicking at the ground. "Look, Honda's already on his way back."

"He said he'd meet us at the entrance by Death-T. Let's get a move on - it's starting to get seriously crowded in here, and I don't wanna hear Kaiba bitch about how we ruined her grand opening or whatever by being thirty seconds late," explained Honda as he worked on catching his breath. But before he could really relax, Jonouchi took off running, everyone else falling behind before Honda sighed and started after them.

They all raced together to make it to the elevator that led up into the main stage. Yugi reached it first, with Anzu coming last behind Honda. Jonouchi pushed the floor button, grinning stupidly, and they all gasped when the glass cable car rose up above several floors of thrill rides before reaching all the way up to the near top, cloaking them in darkness.

Yugi was the first to come out. He looked nervous, but sure of himself. Jonouchi felt spooked, but suddenly lights flickered on over a glass box of some sort where Yugi's oji-san and Kaiba herself were sitting across from each other.

They were dueling. The cards were set in front of each other, and there were giant holograms of monsters behind them, hissing and snarling at each other like wild beasts as Jonouchi watched poor Sugoroku noticeably sweat.

"Looks like the end of this duel has finally come," said Kaiba indifferently before raising up her right hand, "Blue Eyes White Dragons, attack that fool's last pathetic card and end this game."

The dragons grew even larger as they loomed over her shoulders and attacked, destroying the last of Sugoroku's defenses and bringing down his life points to zero. Kaiba smiled.

"Now's the time for the best part. You should have given me that dragon when I first asked for it."

She snatched the card from Sugoroku's quivering hands and unceremoniously ripped it in half, her eyes never leaving Sugoroku's, "Now it can never turn on me again. And you will pay the price, old fool. I learned this from someone you know very well. Ever heard of something called a penalty game?"

Before Yugi's Oji-san could reply, she walked out of the box and slammed the door. Monsters suddenly appeared from all over and Sugoroku screamed, trying to beat himself out but to no avail. All the doors were locked and the monsters tore at him while he sat crying in a corner like a small child.

"We tested this, you know," Kaiba told Yugi in a calm voice, "A person's sanity can stay intact for ten minutes until all is lost in there. Now you have two choices. You can leave your grandfather to misery, or you can try to survive my Death T. Which will you choose?"

Yugi stood paralyzed, his eyes locked on the hellish prison his grandfather was trapped in. Sugoroku's screams had diminished into strangled sobs, until he was just a shaking and whimpering mass on the floor.

"Five more minutes, Yugi. He'll go crazy, at this rate..." Kaiba announced. Her voice betrayed no feelings, her eyes void of inner emotion. They were a glass mirror of complete emptiness.

"Snap out of it, Yugi!" Jonouchi yelled. "You gotta do something." He didn't quite understand what was going on, but he could tell Kaiba meant business.

Finally, Yugi jerked back into reality. He looked panicked, his shoulders shaking. Jonouchi wanted to help him, support him, but Honda held him back with a tight grip on his wrist. "Kaiba-san!" Yugi called out desperately, "You've got to let him out of that box!"

"Agree to my terms, and I will. Participate in Death-T, and I'll stop the simulation," said Kaiba, her expression intensely dark.

"I understand, I'll do it!" Yugi cried out. He didn't have time to think it through or ask questions. His grandfather had stopped moving. His shoulders no longer shook uncomfortably, but his chin remained against his chest as he hugged his knees and silently cried. Then, suddenly, he just fell over, not even lifting his head as he laid crumpled on the floor of the dueling box.

"Oji-san!" Yugi ran towards the box, beating against the glass with his small hands.

With a flick of Kaiba's wrist, the monsters surrounding Sugoroku vanished, and he was alone inside. There was a sharp sound of air being released, and then the door to the elevated stage opened. Yugi raced forward, Jonouchi on his heels, and he gently took hold of his grandfather's shoulders, trying his best to awaken him.

A medical team was called when Sugoroku's state seemed to be failing. The medics got him situated on a gurney and hauled him away while Yugi just watched, looking absolutely helpless. Jonouchi had a feeling that the audience had no idea that everything that they were watching was real. They cheered like they were watching some great staged game show on television instead of questioning the danger of what was unfolding in front of them... What if Sugoroku died?

"Waivers," called out one of the guards. He reached out his hand and the gang each took a copy, Jonouchi stopping himself from punching the guy as he snatched the papers from him.

"Well, isn't this interesting," cooed Kaiba as she dropped a hip and crossed her arms, "This was supposed to be a single person test only, Yugi. Do you really want to endanger your friends with your personal battles? No need to put them at risk."

Yugi immediately turned to his friends, appearing stricken with fear. He was cradling his grandfather's deck of cards, which had been pressed into his hands as the older Mutou was wheeled away, rubbing at their worn edges. He looked lost, and words caught in his throat when he tried speaking.

"Like he had a choice! Yugi, I'm going with you," announced Jonouchi, stepping up beside Yugi and giving him a confident smile. He felt inwardly afraid, but if he learned anything from his time on the street, it was to show no weakness to your opponent. His best friend was in danger, and hell if Jonouchi would let him go through this alone. He'd deal with his personal feelings for Kaiba later.

"Don't forget about me!" yelled Honda, bumping his shoulder against Jonouchi's before standing by Yugi's side. Anzu nodded in agreement, linking her arm through one of Yugi's and him a reassuring squeeze.

Yugi stared at his friends in awe, tears collecting at the corners of his eyes. His free hand clutched at his Millennium Puzzle, and he closed his eyes. Jonouchi couldn't be sure what he was thinking-maybe the same thing he thought himself when he looked into the eye of the puzzle. Of the day they had become friends. The day they had chosen to have their asses beaten together rather than sacrificing each other.

"Thanks guys, I don't know what to say..."

Kaiba snorted loudly, rolling her eyes and looking slightly irritated by the emotional exchanges as the door to the first level of Death T opened.

"This is very sweet and all, but I'm on a tight schedule, so if you wouldn't mind getting this going," she said, glaring at Yugi before tapping her foot authoritatively, "We have an audience to entertain, you know. Best not to keep them waiting."

Her eyes fell upon a group of five stuffy men in suits who sat on the first row of seats, looking extremely uncomfortable. One even grabbed his tie to loosen it before looking away from Yugi's glances. They seemed unwilling to look Kaiba back in the eyes, appearing to be cowering in their seats.

"The show must go on," continued Kaiba cheerily, "So let's get moving before I change my mind about your grandpa, shall we?"

Yugi nodded his head confidently. Jonouchi wanted to say something, but he knew it wasn't the time for that. Not in front of people watching. He couldn't trust himself to even choose the right words to describe what he was feeling at the moment. It was better, for the moment at least, to just not thinking about it. For once in his life, Jonouchi compartmentalized his feelings for another time.

"Come on," encouraged Honda with a smile, "There ain't anything in the world the four of us can't handle, right?"

"Except maybe Anzu's period," Jonouchi joked as he forced himself to smile for his friends.

Anzu smiled back. Maybe she was too afraid to really get upset for once.

"All right guys," said Yugi at last, nodding at all of them appreciatively before looking ahead towards the open door, "Let's go in!"


	5. Chapter 5

The first level of Death T put Jonouchi's nerves on edge as soon as he stepped through the door. There were all sorts of strange noises echoing through the main chamber, like moaning and groaning, but no one could figure out just where the voices were coming from. He stayed close to Honda's side, trying not to stumble into him as he walked in fear of his best friend teasing him over it.

At least Anzu looked just as spooked, if not worse from the way she kept running into Yugi as they went through the hall. The whole place looked like some deserted warehouse, or maybe a clinic. Jonouchi noticed a few gurneys lying on the ground all over the place, as well as wheelchairs, IV bags, and random medical shit he wasn't too sure about.

"What is this supposed to be?" He asked aloud. No one answered. Honda seemed too busy trying not to trip over shit and Yugi's eyes were wide as he looked around.

"You know, this ain't that scary," quipped up Jonouchi in false bravado, "This is like some shit out of a second rate scare house."

A sharp scream blasted through the intercom followed by growling and grunting, like something or someone was attacking in the background. Jonouchi immediately jumped and yelled out, Anzu clutching Yugi hard before letting out a scream of her own.

"Relax, you guys," said Honda as he kept walking, "Kaiba's just trying to scare us into quitting."

"Yeah, well, it's working," mumbled Anzu, "I don't like this at all."

"We gotta get through this though," Yugi asserted determinedly. "Oji-san is counting on me, and I need you guys. Kaiba can't get away with this. We'll make it through, you'll see."

Jonouchi wished he felt nearly as confident about the whole ordeal. He was still stuck on understanding why Kaiba was acting like a sociopath in the first place. She was a little strange and distant before, but not _this_ strange. Not to the point of trying to purposely hurt others. It made no sense. Why would Kaiba target after Yugi in the first place?

"Welcome to Level One of Death T," echoed a new voice over the intercom. It sounded calm and controlled. The sound was shortly followed by a flash of light; as his eyes adjusted, Jonouchi realized a giant TV in the abandoned waiting room had turned on, portraying Kaiba's face as the five businessmen from before sat behind her, looking nervous.

"As you can see, something truly terrible has happened to Domino City Hospital. A virus has attacked and killed most of the patients, but some of them won't stay dead. It's up to you four to get out of the building before it becomes overrun with zombies. There are laser guns and vests in the supply closet behind you. To protect yourself, shoot the zombies in the head.

"But the zombies aren't the only things you should be wary of. The army doesn't want any infected persons to escape, so you'll have to fight past them as well. And you have twenty minutes to do this.

"Good luck."

"She can't be serious, right?" Anzu deadpanned. "What happens if we don't make it by the time limit?"

There was a loud, regular banging coming from the end of the corridor. As the seconds passed, it grew louder, and the shuffle of shoes on concrete and the rustling of cloth against cloth could be made out.

"Better not take any chances," said Jonouchi, who could feel the blood draining from his face. He was glad for the darkness, as it hid how freaked out he really felt over the whole situation.

"Let's put these on," said Honda, reaching into the closet and pulling out several vests. He passed out the laser guns when everyone was strapped in. "Lock and load, people. I'm glad my Call of Duty binges are finally getting some practical use," he smirked.

"Everyone stay close," warned Yugi. "Like Kaiba-san said, it's not only the zombies we have to worry about."

Pulling together, they made their way down the darkened hallway, careful not to disturb the random debris scattered about.

Jonouchi could feel his anxiety rising. Sure, he'd handled a game of laser tag in the past before. Even saw a real gun when he was fourteen while running with the gang. But if there was one thing that really freaked him out, it was zombies and other monsters. Anything occult. The only person who could possibly be comfortable in his predicament was probably Bakura, and he decided to cop out last minute...

He wasn't really watching his feet as he stalked through the halls, and before he could move away, one of the doors opened silently. Even as Jonouchi turned sharply, alarmed by the motion in his peripherals, a half-rotted corpse fell toward him. He screamed even before it had landed.

"Holy _fuck_!" he yelled, trying to get the body off of him. It even smelled decayed. It was squishy and it felt like he was touching things that should have been under skin. There had to be real blood on it-Jonouchi knew what it smelled like.

"Jonouchi, shut up," barked Honda as he quickly disposed of the corpse, "Do you want the army and the zombies to figure out where we are?"

"It won't make a fucking difference," Jonouchi argued, shaking himself. "As if Kaiba isn't watching us right now. She'll probably spring it all on us at the end no matter how well we do."

"Yeah, and you _liked_ that chick just an hour ago," Honda accused. Jonouchi looked at him in mild surprise. If Honda was feeling somehow bitter, this wasn't the time or place. But Jonouchi wasn't going to back down if he was. "You were pining over her for a _month_ , and look where she's put us!"

"How was I supposed to know she was crazy?" Jonouchi shot back angrily.

The doors to their rear started slamming harder and harder. Anzu was visibly on edge, and Yugi clutched his gun harder.

"All girls are crazy," Honda remarked dismissively, "But _you_ had to pick the one who goes missing and reappears out of thin air. Did that not make you think something was probably up with her?"

"What? At least I cared! None of you guys even bothered to figure out what happened to her. Can't blame me for being curious."

"I'm pretty sure it was more than "curiosity" leading you on..." Honda muttered under his breath before rolling his eyes.

"Oh _shut up_ , Honda..." Jonouchi hissed back.

Before anything more could be said, the doors behind them burst open, and a wave of growling, snarling zombies came stumbling out of the cafeteria. Those in the front fell over in a mass after leaning on the now-open doors, but those behind them were unperturbed and proceeded to walk clumsily over them. Some crawled on the ground while others shambled, limping quickly through the halls as they stretched their bloody hands toward the gang.

"Oh my god!" screamed Anzu, "What are we supposed to do?"

Honda dove forward, expertly aiming his gun and shooting, taking down three of the zombies in one go. "Shoot at the head, right?" he yelled, dodging to the side to take out another two zombies.

Not one to be outdone, Jonouchi took a deep breath, beating down his anxiety and funneling it into an adrenaline rush. He rushed next to Honda, shooting down four zombies that were trying to push their way into the room. "How about a little co-op action?"

"Think you can keep up?" Honda shot back, "I've still got one on you!"

"Whatever, man," Jonouchi said as he aimed for another shot. "You and your achievements. It's all about style!" he grunted as he uppercut a too-close-for-comfort zombie in the face, crouching down to sweep the feet from beneath another two zombies. He jumped up and shot each in the head, disabling them.

The zombie attack was over. The group carefully made their way to the door, when all of a sudden, Yugi screamed, "Get back!" and flung his friends to either side of the entrance.

Five very real burn marks scorched the floor, smoking lightly.

"Shit, six of us, and we only got one. You guys are getting soft," a disembodied voice mocked.

"Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi cried, scrambling over to his friend. He had been covering Anzu, and the shot had knocked him out cold.

"Oh my god, Jonouchi!" gasped Anzu, pushing herself up to a seated position. "Where did those shots come from?"

"And why the hell is the ground friggin' smoking! This is supposed to be some stupid game!" Honda hollered.

They were in a large, dimly-lit room filled with rows of lockers and storage shelves. It was eerily quiet.

"Whoever it was, they're hiding now. I can see a stairwell beyond that exit - if we can just make it out there, then maybe we'll be done with this level," stated Yugi. He turned to Jonouchi, who was still unconscious and sprawled on the floor. "Honda-kun, do you think you could carry him?"

"Yeah, but it'll be harder for me to shoot - you guys will have to cover me while watching out for yourselves. Think you can do it?" asked Honda as he hauled Jonouchi over his back.

"We've don't have much of a choice," said Anzu. "Whoever shot at us will be back soon. Let's get going."

Yugi was the first to run out. He was quick, followed by Anzu and then Honda, who was covered by the both of them, although the gunmen were too distracted to notice them go past. They were too busy joking amongst themselves, and when Honda got a good shot, he took down one man, knocking him on his ass, before hauling Jonouchi away towards the emergency exit.

There wasn't much time left. Yugi and Anzu covered the rear as laser fire was returned at them. Honda opened the stairway door and was engulfed in darkness with Yugi and Anzu close behind. They shut the door and quickly barricaded it with a loose wall pipe.

Now they couldn't see a damn thing. There was a slight noise from the distance, like moaning, that echoed up the staircase.

"What if there's a zombie down there?" asked Anzu. She didn't look too game about the plan.

"I'll stay in front," volunteered Yugi, "and Anzu, you cover Honda's back. I don't think anyone's going to come busting out of that door, but just in case. We'll get through this, you'll see."

Thankfully Yugi found a working flashlight on the floor, which was held by a skeleton. He cringed before grabbing it, descending down the steps.

The faint glow from the flashlight only minimally improved their visibility. They huddled close together, taking each step at a time slowly. Honda stayed close to Yugi's shoulder, and Anzu pinched the back of Jonouchi's jacket with her free hand, checking behind her as they moved downward.

When they reached the stairwell landing, they heard a low buzzing from overhead, and the stairway was abruptly flooded by a red exit light. There was a moment of stillness and silence, followed by a sudden rush, and an onslaught of hands descended upon the group, grabbing and clawing.

"FUCK!" Honda bellowed, kicking at his attackers, "RUN!" Grabbing Anzu's wrist, he pushed Yugi forward, forcibly parting the sea of flailing zombies. He heard Yugi yelp and Anzu cry out in pain, but Honda knew he couldn't focus on that if they had any hope of escaping. They could assess any damage taken once they were safe.

Shoving and tugging hard, Honda ripped through the masses, dragging Yugi and Anzu with him. His heart was racing and his muscles were screaming in protest, but they were almost at the exit. "Start shooting!"

The stairwell became a cacophony of sound as Yugi and Anzu shot haphazardly, but it became easier to move as zombie after zombie dropped.

"Almost there, guys - keep going!" encouraged Yugi. He was mere feet away from the door.

One zombie emerged from behind and grabbed Anzu's ankle, nearly biting her before she kicked it in the face. It fell back, and Anzu almost ran Honda over from fear as Yugi finally opened the door, opening into blinding light as they all ran into it and shut the door to the stairwell behind them.

"Congratulations," echoed a familiar voice, "You have made it past Level One with two minutes to spare."

The floor moved and Yugi sensed that they were being lifted up. With the room being so damn bright, it was near impossible to tell just where they were.

"The next challenge won't be nearly as easy to navigate, but I trust you all shall make it through in one piece.

"Sorry about your friend."

The voice cut off after that and Yugi could feel himself cursing Kaiba out internally. While they did sign the waiver, he didn't think the electrical charges would actually put Jonouchi out of commission. Thankfully, he was starting to wake up right after the intercom shut off, grumbling as Honda set him down.

"You alive still?"

"Of course I'm alive, you doof," Jonouchi answered back sluggishly, "I just kinda hurt all over. What the fuck happened?"

"Those army guys must've been packing something way more powerful than the shit Kaiba provided us. Your girl is fucking nuts," explained Honda.

"Yeah, well, I wonder what her next surprise for us is," said Jonouchi, rubbing at his aching shoulders. Beatings and brawls he could handle, but getting hit with a taser that was _intended_ to drop people with one hit was another thing completely. His muscles twitched a few times before he felt normal again.

"How are you feeling, Jonouchi-kun?" asked Yugi, squeezing at Jonouchi's elbow. His gaze was determined and fragile at the same time.

"Yeah, as good as one can feel after almost being shocked to death... I just want to get out of here already."

"It's kinda your fault we're stuck here, Jonouchi," said Honda, "You introduced us to that crazy bitch."

"I'm telling you, something happened to her in that month she was gone - I'm not buying that mono bullshit story," exclaimed Jonouchi. He also didn't like Honda calling Kaiba a bitch, even if she kinda was one...

"You moron, she tried to kill you and almost _succeeded_!" Honda snapped, but he cut himself off and sighed when Jonouchi only frowned stubbornly. He grumbled something unintelligible before talking again. "I can't believe you're actually defending her, but whatever. We just need to get out of here."

Jonouchi rolled his eyes. He couldn't exactly explain why he didn't instantly hate Kaiba over the whole ordeal - first Yugi's grandfather, and now this. Sure, he had a crush on her - what guy in their right mind wouldn't, really - but Jonouchi didn't want to just chalk it up to raging hormones. Psychotic girlfriends just weren't his thing. He felt instinctively that this wasn't the real Kaiba, that something in her had changed, but he didn't know why or how or if she'd ever return to the person she was. And he knew the group wouldn't understand this, but that was okay - he could keep his feelings to himself.

"We'll never get out of here safely if you guys don't stop arguing," Anzu chided.

"Anzu's right - we don't know what awaits us beyond these doors. We have to be ready when this elevator opens," said Yugi.

The elevator shuddered, crawling to a stop. When the doors slid open, the four once again stepped out into darkness.

They were in a house. It looked pretty run-down from the inside: peeling and moldy wallpaper, mysterious stains on the carpet, broken glass and overturned furniture strewn around. The air smelled stale, yet somewhat familiar to Jonouchi. Wandering around, his foot caught on something, creating a loud, simultaneous crunching and clinking. Beer cans and bottles littered the floor.

No wonder, mused Jonouchi unhappily - this house was a scene from his everyday life.

"All the doors that lead to anywhere are locked," Anzu called out from the kitchen. "The front door, the bedrooms, even the bathrooms are sealed shut."

"Maybe there's some kind of secret entrance?" Honda thought aloud, knocking on the walls and kicking up clouds of dust for his troubles.

"I think I found something!" Yugi shouted from across the way. Everyone rushed over to meet him, nearly tripping over rotted floorboards. "This door seems loose. I'm not sure where it might lead to, but if we could push on it real hard, maybe we can force it open."

"Better than loitering around here. Step aside, Yug - I got this," Jonouchi announced, as he felt a weight settle on his shoulder. It was Honda.

"You were electrocuted not even ten minutes ago. I'll handle this."

Before Jonouchi could protest, Honda used his full body weight to slam through the front door, breaking the boards and falling into the dusty living room of the abandoned house. At first he looked around as if wary that zombies or more soldiers were going to come running out like in the hospital, but it seemed pretty spook-free outside of the junk all over the place.

"Welcome," said a pleasant voice from over the intercom. They all knew who was speaking to them by now. "This is Level Two of Death T. Congratulations on making through this far, I am very impressed. Especially with Jonouchi Katsuya-your recovery was quite remarkable."

Jonouchi huffed. He wasn't sure if he should feel flattered that Kaiba noticed or pissed that she had caused his near death experience.

"This level will be harder than the first, unfortunately. Please make your way down to the basement. I will explain the rules further once you are ready down there."

Anzu tripped over a rug before Honda caught her and they all walked around aimlessly before Yugi came across what appeared to be a door into the supposed "basement" Kaiba was talking about. They had to be careful about walking Jonouchi down the stairs. Despite his bravado, he was still very weak and appeared to be cringing in pain. He didn't want his friends to be worried about him, or slow them down, but Jonouchi felt like someone had just got him with a taser and he could barely control his bodily functions let alone just walk properly...

Once they got downstairs, Anzu found a light and they found just two doors in front of them. The rest of the room was bare and the door back up to the kitchen closed before anyone could react.

"Good," Kaiba's voice returned, "here comes the fun part. You have two doors in front of you. One leads to the next level of Death T, a step closer to your freedom. However, the other houses a cannibalistic killer who I hear hasn't eaten in several days. He's very testy, and if you should pick the wrong door, he shall escape and you'll be made to deal with him between yourselves.

"Good luck."

"The fun just never ends," remarked Honda, cutting his eyes at Jonouchi, who ignored him. Instead, Jonouchi walked over to a dark corner and started rummaging around.

"What are you doing?" asked Anzu, appearing unwilling to join him.

Jonouchi returned with a rusted pipe in hand, tossing a broken chair leg to Honda, who caught it easily. "Gotta be prepared in case we choose wrong, right?" He stepped back slowly, taking in the two options in front of them. Both doors were identical, neither betraying any clue of what lay in wait beyond. "So," he turned to the rest of the group, "anybody got a coin?"

"I'm not going to bet our lives on the result of a coin toss!" cried Anzu. "We need to think. There must be something that'll give us some kind of hint..."

Yugi stepped forward then, his eyes locked onto the doors but slightly vacant. "I think Jonouchi-kun's right, Anzu. This puzzle is luck-based. We'll just have to trust in ourselves that we'll make the right choice," he said, clutching his Millennium Puzzle tightly. It reflected brightly even in the dim light.

Yugi took a step closer to the doors. Closing his eyes, he pointed to each one, smiling to himself before Jonouchi made a small noise.

"What is it," Yugi asked, his voice sounding more sure than a moment before, "Do you think you know the way out?"

"What if Kaiba's lying about the doors and it doesn't matter which one we chose?" he asked, and Honda immediately brisked and looked uncomfortable, "That killer could be at both doors or neither for all we know."

"That's very true, Jonouchi-kun. We don't know if Kaiba is not lying about the doors or not."

He kept thinking. Jonouchi watched, looking back at the door behind them.

"Do we have to pick the two doors in front of us," asked Jonouchi, "What if we just go back around where we came from?"

"Why would we do something stupid like that?" barked Honda, "Did you scramble your brains or something?"

"No, Honda, he's right. Kaiba didn't say we couldn't pick the door behind us. Just that she wanted us to pick the door in front of us. The door behind us definitely doesn't house the cannibalistic murderer, so logic says that's the door we should choose."

"So why even bring us down here?" remarked Anzu.

"Probably to mess with our heads," said Jonouchi, slapping the pipe against his palm. "Kaiba doesn't really seem the type to play by the rules," he continued. "That door shut behind us once we came down here, but we're just assuming that it's locked."

"You have a point..." admitted Honda. "Only one way to find out." Taking a quick glance at the two closed doors, he turned and ran back up the steps, taking two at a time. When he reached the top, he closed his hand over the knob, swallowed, and pulled hard.

The door opened easily, and Honda almost fell over from the momentum.

"Let's get outta here," Jonouchi urged, dropping the pipe and pushing Yugi and Anzu towards the staircase. They heard a short crackle of static, but none of them looked behind as they made their way back to the main landing.

They slammed the door behind them, dragging an old cupboard to block it. As soon as they had managed that, pounding could be heard from the other side and Anzu shrieked. Honda's eyes widened as they all realized that the murderer had been released, probably from Kaiba's orders, and they all ran as quickly as possible out of the house before reaching the elevator.

A huge burly looking figure came busting out of the front door, knocking it off its hinges while they waited to be lifted away. Yugi and Anzu both screamed and Jonouchi couldn't help but smack right into Honda, jumping into the air before they were finally saved, being pulled up right before the masked murderer could clearly be seen in the darkness.

Yugi was shaking and panting for breath even as he tried to console Anzu, who was on her knees sobbing. Jonouchi all of a sudden felt weak, his body nearly falling over again. Honda kept him upright, hoisting Jonouchi's arm around his shoulder until he could get a handle on himself.

"I'm fine," lied Jonouchi, averting his gaze as he watched Yugi stroke his puzzle as if it was a calming device. "I just lost my balance. I can stand up myself, you know."

With his legs stabilized, Jonouchi pushed Honda away before straightening his clothes. Honda blew air out of his nose sharply and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever Jonouchi, I'm just trying to help you out."

"Well don't, I'm fine."

No one said anything else after that. The only sounds that could be heard were Honda's foot rapidly tapping against the floor and Anzu sniffling. All too soon, the elevator shuddered to a stop, and the doors opened once more.

They all sighed in near unison, but Anzu smiled a little.

"We made it through this far together, guys. I think we'll be fine."

"Fine?" barked Honda loudly, "Are you crazy? Kaiba's trying to kill us."

"Yeah, but we still have each other. Give me your hands!"

The boys all gave Anzu confused faces, so snatching Yugi's, she bullied them all into putting their hands together, and Anzu pulled out a marker before drawing a smiley face across them all.

"See," Anzu explained, "No matter what, we'll always be friends. We can get through this. Together."

Jonouchi huffed, staring at his marked hand up close to his face before frowning. "Is this shit permanent?"

Anzu smacked him upside the face before fuming a little, "Go find the way out of here, since you want to go and ruin the moment like that, Jonouchi. You can be such a jerk."

Jonouchi rolled his eyes and looked around. He couldn't really see much of anything, the entire room was blinding from the whiteness of it all and even Yugi looked unsure of how to approach it and he was great with puzzles.

"There's...nothing here," observed Jonouchi. "Not even a door-" They heard the elevator doors snap shut behind them, the elevator car descending back to the first floor.

"Well, there must be some trick to this room. See how the walls are lined like a grid? Maybe there's something behind the panels. Try looking!" directed Anzu.

The four teens split up: Anzu and Yugi tackling the floor while Honda and Jonouchi examined the walls. They felt along the surface of the panels, picking between the grooves, pressing at corners, but to no avail. The walls revealed no secret passageways, and looking up, they noticed the peculiar fact that the room had no ceiling. Only blackness hung overhead; it was like being at the bottom of a well.

Exhausted and drained by defeat, they huddled together in a circle, too tired to even try brainstorming.

But then the ceiling began to fall. Jonouchi pushed Honda out of the way when one huge white block came falling down, almost crushing them both while another and another came falling down. Yugi jumped, staring at the blank ceiling and Anzu seemed perplexed, all four of them trying to avoid the heavy masses that came tumbling down until Anzu briefly closed her eyes.

"There's a rhythm!" She announced loudly, "Like a dance. I can predict when the blocks fall!"

Jonouchi signed heavily and Honda grabbed Anzu's shoulders, "Then how do we avoid them then?"

"Uh... There's a beat. Don't worry guys, just listen to what I say and we'll make it out of here. I'll point where the blocks are about to fall!"

Jonouchi started climbing over them, looking where Anzu was directing him to stay away from before he yelled out, "I can see an exit! It's small, but if you climb up here, we can all make it!"

They scrambled up the blocks, Anzu barking orders like a traffic controller. In no time, the blocks had stacked high enough to where Jonouchi could wiggle into the exit, hauling Anzu up beside him.

Honda and Yugi were still behind. Yugi's short stature made it hard for him to climb up the blocks, and so Honda had stayed close, giving Yugi boosts when he needed them.

"You're almost there, guys - c'mon!" yelled Jonouchi. He felt Anzu tense suddenly.

"The rhythm changed…!"

"Honda, watch out-!"

Luckily, Honda's reflexes saved him. He'd shifted forward just enough that the block had landed directly behind his heels.

"That was close," Honda exhaled, but when he tried to step forward, he gasped and turned his head. Jonouchi felt his heart sink at the sound and looked to see what was causing the delay. His eyes widened when he realized Honda's jacket had been pinned between the fallen blocks, trapping him.

Jonouchi tried to reach down enough to grasp Honda and Yugi, but it wasn't enough - they were still too far down.

"The blocks are starting to fall faster - get outta there!" Jonouchi cried.

"Yugi, gimme your hand," Honda commanded, seemingly unaffected by his own predicament. Without waiting for a response, he promptly grasped the smaller teen's arm and launched him upward. "Jonouchi - _catch_!"

Jonouchi quickly snatched Yugi and hauled him inside, then turned his attention back to Honda, whose eyes were focused above him. He caught Jonouchi's gaze for a moment, and his usual, jerky smile crossed his face, but before Jonouchi could reach out for Honda's hand, a block fell over the entrance.

Honda was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Everyone went silent. Jonouchi tried pushing the block out of the way, but it wouldn't budge. He punched it in desperation and only ended up with a bruised hand. Anzu gasped and cried out in alarm and dismay while Yugi began shaking again. Honda was still inside the room, and who knew how long he'd manage to stay alive before it would be completely filled to the brim with blocks, crushing him...

"This is all my fault," Yugi started, "I shouldn't have dragged you guys along. I knew Kaiba was bad news, but I thought maybe if we saw each other again, she could be reasoned with. I don't even remember what happened the last time we met..."

"What do you mean you don't remember?" asked Jonouchi, looking quite astonished, "I know something weird happened between you two. She was gone from class for weeks and looked near death when I saw her through her bedroom window, and now she's fine and you're saying you don't remember what happened?"

"Well," Yugi started, shifting a little as he appeared incredibly uncomfortable with Jonouchi's intense gaze, "I just don't remember. Sometimes I think there's another person inside of me and I black out and just forget things. I know I played a game with Kaiba, but there's not much else there."

"Yugi, why would you play a game against Kaiba?" asked Anzu, who moved over closer to them, still crouching as they hadn't left the tunnel yet. Jonouchi could feel himself becoming cramped, but he tried to ignore his discomfort.

"She took oji-san's rare card and replaced it with a fake. I asked for it back and she had her guards beat me. Then I don't remember the rest... I just eventually woke back up in my room, with oji-san's card back in my hands. I didn't know what to think, I thought maybe she just gave it back, but I know that's not really what happened..."

Yugi wouldn't look at them. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes, and he hunched forward, trembling.

"Yugi...how long...have you been having these blackouts?" Jonouchi asked. When Yugi didn't respond, Jonouchi put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"I think...ever since I solved the Puzzle," Yugi replied weakly.

Seeing his friend so fragile tore at Jonouchi's stomach. He brought his other hand down hard on Yugi's other shoulder, shaking him slightly. "Look, no matter what, we're your friends, and we're here for you! This isn't your fault. Come on, Honda's waiting for us. We've got to get out of here soon, so we can help him."

Yugi finally looked up then, his large eyes pooling with tears. Anzu gave him a reassuring smile, and after rubbing at his face, Yugi nodded sharply to Jonouchi. "Let's go!"

They ran down the empty hallway, bursting through the doors at the end. A roaring arena stopped them in their tracks, the noise swallowing them as Kaiba looked down from the center of the stage.

Kaiba stood alone in the center of the stage. She was wearing a white suit none of the gang had seen her in before, with the gold embroidery around the collar and cuffs with her hair in a neat bob, bangs falling just above her blue eyes. She looked unduly smug up there, trailing with her gaze as Yugi came running to approach, everyone else following after. Jonouchi didn't see her younger brother around, but he was probably watching somewhere close.

"Glad to see you could make it, Yugi. Did you enjoy those little exercises of mine?"

"Kaiba-san!" Yugi yelled, "We've done as you wanted. What did you even hope to achieve through it?"

"Yeah!" Jonouchi exclaimed, stepping up beside his friend. "We could've seriously died in there - what the hell gives?"

"This doesn't concern you, Jonouchi," Kaiba cut in before turning her gaze back towards Yugi, "Do you really have no idea, Yugi, what offenses you've committed against me? I'm only paying back what you've done, and I'm not through yet. Are you too cowardly to face me in a duel now?"

"Offenses? Payback…? Kaiba-san, I don't know what you're-" Yugi clutched at his head suddenly, stooping forward a little as though in pain. His eyes clouded over like he wasn't quite present anymore, but when he straightened back up, he stood taller and more sure of himself.

Kaiba's face twitched slightly. One corner of her mouth moved just as Yugi looked up at her, and despite the piercing gaze, she seemed almost a little taken back. Maybe it was the new way Yugi held himself, how he walked past Jonouchi and stood on his own like he was ready to fight for himself without needing the support of his friends...

"What's this?" asked Kaiba before she let out a laugh, "Are you challenging me now?"

"Kaiba! This has gone on for far too long!" Yugi yelled, pointing at her. "We'll settle it here and now!"

Jonouchi and Anzu were stunned speechless. This was not the Yugi they knew. As they directed confused expressions at each other, Jonouchi wondered if maybe they were witnessing what Yugi had confessed to while they were inside Death-T.

"What, can't handle a taste of your own medicine, Yugi? I tried hard to recreate the terror you put me through, but I still believe I could have done better... but your grandfather, I'm sure, wouldn't agree with my sentiment." She smiled as her eyes fell shut. She touched the bridge of her nose briefly before opening them again, "You seem quick to forget that touch of death you put me through. But I won't.

"So does this mean you'll finally duel me? Under my terms?"

"It looks like you still haven't learned, Kaiba. You may be hailed as a genius, but you sorely need a remedial lesson. I accept your terms - now let's duel!"

Was Yugi actually...smirking? Jonouchi couldn't believe what he was seeing, and it looked like Anzu was equally shocked. She had grown up with Yugi-she of all people would know if he'd ever acted like this before. He was exuding a confidence and power that Jonouchi had never felt from anyone. Not even from Kaiba, with all her airs and arrogance.

Jonouchi could only stare at the two of them, his gaze swinging back and forth like a pendulum: Kaiba on the platform and Yugi beside him. He couldn't quite understand what was going on. Kaiba held some kind of grudge against Yugi, who claimed to not know what she was talking about, yet this new entity seemed to own up to Kaiba's accusations.

In all honesty, this new Yugi appeared to be toying with Kaiba - his smile held a dangerous edge to it, more convincing than that of any of the thugs Jonouchi had known. Jonouchi's old gang acquaintances had edmitted an energy of brutish savagery whereas Yugi glowed with an aura of predatory darkness. It was unsettling - Yugi was gazing up at Kaiba intensely, the two of them locked in a battle of unspoken violence.

Neither one of them were budging.

Yugi's confession, Kaiba missing for a month and appearing ghostly ill, Yugi's frequent spacing out… It was as though the puzzle was finally coming together for Jonouchi, but he was still missing a vital piece…

Jonouchi's thoughts came to a standstill as Kaiba beckoned Yugi onto the dais. It slowly rose, eliciting awed cheers from the crowd, the walls of a domed ceiling emerging from the platform to cocoon the two players in. Jumbotrons flickered to life across the stadium, broadcasting the duel arena for all to see.

Kaiba and Yugi sat in silence, intensity emanating between them like crackling thunder. Kaiba wordlessly slid her deck across the table to Yugi, who followed her lead. They shuffled and cut each other's deck, never once breaking eye contact, then returned the stack of cards. A hologram appeared next to each player, spinning numbers around until it stopped at 2000 points.

"Begin!" Kaiba commanded as she drew five cards from her deck. When Yugi made no other motion past this, Kaiba sat back in her seat and regarded him with a smirk. "Now, what kind of host would I be if I didn't allow my guest to go first?"

Yugi's eyes narrowed, but he drew a card from his hand and set it upon the table. A giant horned reptile sprang from the card, hovering over Yugi's shoulder. "Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" he announced.

"Hmm...I'll play this, then," Kaiba said, leaning forward. A grotesque, one-eyed monster materialized, lunging at Yugi's dragon. "Go, Hitotsu-Me Giant."

The monsters clashed, the cyclops slashing its talons, the dragon spewing fire. The giant burned to ashes, Kaiba's life points careening down to 1800. Her smirk only grew wider, a flash of teeth peeking like a warning. "Was that supposed to hurt?"

She drew another card from her deck slowly, enjoying the conflicting emotions run across her opponent's face. "Heh. Are you afraid, Yugi? It's only a matter of time before my Blue-Eyes comes to me." Kaiba eyed her hand before selecting a card, "Looks like you'll survive another turn. In a match of equals, let's see who'll win."

Kaiba's face twisted into an expression of glee, her eyes widening a little and the corners of her mouth rising into a sick, tight grin. Her teeth were a shiny sort of white that almost seemed artificial, and Yugi just frowned as Kaiba played her card down.

"I summon The Wicked Worm Beast! It has the same points as that puny dragon of yours," Kaiba jeered, "Attack Yugi now, destroy his monster!"

Yugi didn't back down, despite knowing that his defense was as good as dead now. "I'll take you on, Kaiba!"

The two monsters clashed. There was a fury of wings and claws as they ripped on each other and Yugi boasted with confidence to break the sounds of monsters screaming, "My dragon has a thirty-five percent chance of evasion. Now what shall you do, Kaiba?"

To his luck, his Winged Dragon somehow managed to get away from Kaiba's Wicked Worm Beast right at the nick of time. It took flight and flew above the creature, turning a fireball back on Kaiba's monster and blowing it up into a ball of flames.

"Our monsters were equal in attack points, Yugi," said Kaiba flippantly as she twirled her hair and threw it over her shoulder. She moved forward toward the edge of the playing field, her eyes getting wild, "Big deal. This game hasn't gotten very interesting yet."

Yugi's two friends watched from the stands, Anzu cheering wildly before Jonouchi gave out a loud whoop of his own. Despite feeling excited for Yugi, who was keeping his head above water and had two hundred points over Kaiba, there was still a feeling of dread he couldn't quite get over. Like Kaiba was just toying with Yugi and Kaiba hadn't figured out her strategy yet. Either she was really insane or Kaiba had nerves of steel and knew exactly what she was doing, allowing Yugi to feel like he had the game in his control before taking him for a surprise.

"No monster in defense, what shall I do?" mocked Kaiba as she lifted a card from her deck, "I guess I'll just have to place this in defense mode for now."

Yugi's face had a puzzled expression as he looked over Kaiba's side of the field, his eyebrows cross as he tried figuring out Kaiba's game. She seemed far too cool. Far too unnerved.

"I draw a card from my deck and play it in defense mode as well!" announced Yugi loudly, "Turn over."

Grinning again, Kaiba showed her teeth before speaking, "Building up a defense against my Blue-Eyes White Dragon, heh? I don't need my dragons to win, Yugi. I was a champion before I even had them.

"I play my monster in attack mode, Saggi the Dark Clown!"

Her monster unfoiled itself before breaking out into a loud snickering laugh, his face a kind of strange mask with only one eye open. Yugi had never seen such a monster before, but thankfully it had a weak attack.

"Saggi can't win with only six hundred points, but I play Dark Energy in combination," declared Kaiba, "and now he has eighteen hundred attack points. More than enough to defeat your dragon."

Yugi watched in horror as dark tendrils drifted up from Kaiba's card, enveloping and contorting her monster. It drew its hands together, a black void swirling together before being thrust towards Yugi's dragon. It hit its mark, swallowing the dragon whole. Kaiba laughed as Yugi's life points dwindled to 1600.

He drew another card before playing another monster in defense mode, seemingly displeased with the action. Saggi destroyed it as well, and Yugi was stricken with panic as he played another card, only to be crushed yet again. Kaiba's eyes had widened, her pupils constricting to pinpoints as her monster brought Yugi down by another 200 points.

"Was our first match just a fluke, Yugi?" Kaiba drawled. "At this rate, I won't even be able to use my Blue-Eyes before I beat you." Her voice rose to a fever pitch as she watched her rival deflate, sweat beads forming across his brow. "You're pitiful. You cling to that worthless deck, thrown together by that second-rate old codger, as if it's worth something! Those cards are dying in your hand - I can hear them gasping for life!"

Something clicked in Yugi, then. His face relaxed, and he turned a somber expression towards Kaiba. "Kaiba, do you believe in your cards?"

"'Believe'? What are you babbling about?" Kaiba sneered in return.

"I believe in these cards!" Yugi declared defiantly, drawing from his deck without hesitation. A smile spread across his face, sharp at the edges, and Kaiba recognized the return of the entity that had defeated her those many weeks ago.

"Gaia the Fierce Knight, attack Kaiba's Dark Clown!" The warrior set off on his steed, slashing the clown into pieces.

Kaiba watched apathetically as her life points dropped to 1300. "I wouldn't get so full of yourself, if I were you," she practically hissed. She reached for her deck, swiping the top card while staring down her opponent. Shrill laughter bubbled in her throat, escaping through bared teeth. The whites of her eyes were prominent on her face. To others, Kaiba looked as though she'd become unhinged, but to Kaiba, she only felt the swell of victory.

"I draw the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. This duel is over, Yugi. And such a shame too, since you finally summoned your trump card, hahaha!"

Yugi appeared panicked in comparison to the manic expression in Kaiba's eyes. Everyone in the stands started gasping and whispering while Jonouchi stood dumbstruck, unsure of how to feel. His friend needed help. Gaia would be destroyed. Could Yugi really defend himself against Kaiba's fierce dragon?

Kaiba had 1300 life points while Yugi had only 1400. They were nearly neck and neck.

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack!" ordered Kaiba as her monster opened its jaws and a bright ball of light started whirling inside of it, "Burst Stream of Destruction!"

The lightning came shooting out of the dragon's mouth, blowing both Yugi's knight and horse away, dropping his life points to a mere 700. Kaiba started laughing uncontrollably, and the only thing Yugi could do was just draw his next card and hope for the best.

It was an Imp. Played in defense mode, it was easily blown away. There wasn't much longer Yugi could hold out, but he refused to give up.

But after losing more weak monsters, Yugi's luck was beginning to fade. He knew he didn't have a chance if Kaiba managed to summon another monster to the field. With no buffer between him and Kaiba's inevitable attacks, Yugi would be facing destruction.

Or he'd run out of cards.

"Haha, guess what I've just drawn, Yugi?" mocked Kaiba as she bared her teeth and slapped her card down on the table, "Another Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Lady Luck must be on my side."

Another silver dragon appeared, an exact twin to the Blue-Eyes right beside it. They both roared at Yugi, who was sweating as he drew his next card.

He refused to lose. Yugi was not going to give up.

"This duel is over, Yugi!" jeered Kaiba with another laugh before she leaned over the table aggressively and smiled, "I win!"

"Not so fast, Kaiba! I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

Kaiba could only sneer as she watched her precious dragons become blocked off by the magical barrier. Yugi was buying time. He had three turns while Kaiba couldn't attack. She didn't appreciate him stalling for time.

"You still haven't given up? You're starting to annoy me, Yugi. I thought you were better than this. Besides, what can you possibly accomplish in only three short turns? Nothing. You will lose. I draw my next card."

It was not what she had been hoping for. Placing it in defense, she smirked before ending her turn.

Yugi appeared lost. He had four cards in his hand, and Kaiba could tell that most of them were useless. The look of contempt on his face was clear enough. It wouldn't be much longer. After the magic card's effects finally wore out, he'd have nothing to keep himself from being beaten.

She could feel the corners of her mouth twitch as Yugi fell into silence. "Draw your next card, Yugi. What the hell are you waiting for?"

As he did, Yugi's eyes grew, and Kaiba just sneered even more. Now he didn't look so lost. Looking in his eyes, Kaiba could clearly tell that some thought was flashing through his mind, only she couldn't detect what he was planning. She was in the dark as to his new design, and losing her patience, Kaiba tried counseling herself before smirking.

He couldn't be saved from two Blue-Eyes White Dragons. No one could.

In the stands, Yugi's friends breathed a sigh of relief. The match was far from over, but at least now Yugi had a chance to recover.

Yugi drew his next card, and Kaiba noticed the tension in his body grow, the sharp inhalation when Yugi'd laid his eyes upon his card. It unsettled Kaiba, but she felt secure in her position. Once the waiting game had been played out, she would finally crush Yugi and reclaim her pride.

With a bored expression, Kaiba drew from her deck, playing the card with barely a glance. "I'll just chip away at your defenses while I bide my time. Judgeman, get rid of his monster."

Yugi winced as his Beaver Warrior disappeared from the field.

"Two more turns, Yugi. Better make them count," Kaiba taunted.

Yugi drew another card, scrutinizing it before playing it. A hint of ferocity returned to his gaze as the Dark Magician materialized before Yugi, turning its staff towards Kaiba and blasting her monster away.

Kaiba appeared unfazed as her life points ticked down to 1000. "You may have gotten the better of me on that turn, but this will be your last. Because…" Kaiba's lips pulled back into a cruel smile. "I've just now drawn my final Blue-Eyes White Dragon," she announced, turning the card around between her fingers, "and I don't have to wait to use this one."

The dragon exploded from the card, birthed onto the field with a terrible roar. Her sisters snapped their jaws beside her, and Yugi was temporarily blinded as a white flash filled his vision, his magician burning to embers.

Howling with laughter, Kaiba watched with smug satisfaction as Yugi's life points withered to 200. She'd pushed Yugi into a corner, and Kaiba noted with morbid glee that her opponent's expression had morphed into something animalistic.

"Go ahead, draw your final card. I'll expose you for the fraud that you are," Kaiba spat. "It won't matter anyway. On my next turn, all three Blue-Eyes will attack. It's game over."

Around them, the audience's clamoring heightened to a crescendo, people rising from their seats and throwing their fists in the air. Anzu turned a worried gaze to Jonouchi and pulled him close, interlocking his arms with hers. Jonouchi swallowed thickly, the hairs at the back of his neck standing.

Yugi stared at the cards in his hand for a long time, his eyes flickering to the stack of cards on the table in front of him. He seemed to be having some sort of internal argument with himself, and Kaiba felt her impatience mounting.

"Hurry up, already!" Kaiba yelled.

But Yugi had paused, his hand hovering above his deck. Hopelessness and fear was written across his face, his thoughts retreating far away. Kaiba studied his face intently, her irritation at war with the anticipation of seeing her opponent implode in defeat.

And then something strange happened. Yugi's expression relaxed, his eyes closing as a faint smile crept across his lips. His hand continued its downward arc, grasping the top card. When he opened his eyes, Yugi once again exuded confidence and determination.

Bringing the card to his hand, Yugi locked eyes with Kaiba as he spread his cards out in an arc on the table, like a magician playing a trick.

"With these five cards, I summon Exodia the Forbidden One!"

The sound of clinking chains precipitated the ritual, the cards forming a hologram pentacle above Yugi's head. A shackled fist punched through one arm of the star, mirrored on the opposite side. With a rumbling groan, a torso emerged, followed by the top of a headdress.

Lifting its head, the monster heaved, laying its eyes upon Kaiba, who was trembling in her seat. Its ever-present grin took on a truly threatening edge as it stared her down. It wasn't just going to defeat her-it was going to _obliterate_ her. Devour her. Jonouchi hadn't even heard of this creature before, and for a second, his only thought was the desperate hope that he would never have to face it himself.

"It...can't be..." Kaiba gasped in denial, "You couldn't possibly…"

Yugi was expressionless as Exodia loomed over the table, its large hands joining to weave a bright ball of energy between them. In what felt like eternity for all of those watching, finally the monster unleashed its torrent, filling the ears of those present with the crackling of fire and the horrible shrieks of Kaiba's dying dragons. All that remained as the typhoon of light dissipated was Exodia's ghastly breathing, and a smell that Jonouchi had never experienced, but could only identify as _brimstone_.

She screamed as they perished, her hands clammy as they grasped the arms of her chair, her nails digging into the wood.

"You…"

Yugi looked at Kaiba dead in the eye as she seethed, livid as she was panicked and disbelieving. When it was evident that she was rendered speechless, Yugi spoke.

"Kaiba…" he began, his voice low and neutral, but his eyes showing just a hint of triumph. "I win."

The zero flashing before Kaiba only made that more evident than the blast from Exodia had.

She looked in complete disbelief, staring at the field as Yugi smugly crossed his arms. The audience roared its reaction, crowds of people jeering, some lost as to exactly what had just happened. Exodia was supposed to be impossible to summon. No one else had ever managed to play it, and Yugi had beaten the International World Champion with it. It was absolutely unbelievable.

"Anything can happen if you believe in your cards, Kaiba," Yugi chided, "I shall clear out the evil in your heart and punish you for threatening my friends!"

Kaiba jumped back in obvious alarm, scrambling to get away as if she knew what Yugi intended. Jonouchi had no idea what he was talking about-but he'd been acting so unlike himself the entire duel that Jonouchi didn't have the brainpower required to figure out what was going on. Kaiba, on the other hand, seemed fully aware, but it didn't save her. She didn't have time to leave her seat before Yugi extended his hand, eyes blazing in such a fearsome way that Jonouchi thought he was looking at some _demon_ rather than his timid friend.

"Penalty game!" He bellowed in a voice much stronger than a teenage boy's. "Mind crush!"

No one else could make out just what had happened. Kaiba collapsed into her chair, unresponsive and staring blankly at the ceiling. Guards came rushing onto the platform as soon as she dropped, grabbing her and Yugi both before Kaibaland staff started ushering people out of the stadium, as if trying to prevent a scene. Jonouchi could make out an older looking black-haired man in a suit and shades carrying Kaiba off stage, Mokuba following after.

How was someone supposed to feel after all of that. Sugoroku was in the hospital, Kaiba had just fallen over, and Yugi looked and acted completely different from normal. He stood taller, not shrinking away nervously like he usually did, and his eyes were sharply fixed on his deck as he pocketed it after the guards finally let him go - they couldn't prove that Yugi had done anything to Kaiba. He strode away with a self-satisfied smile on his face, leaving Jonouchi somewhat unnerved.

Who was this Yugi? This Yugi who had defeated the best Duel Monsters player in the world using a card combination everyone had said was impossible... It didn't make any sense.

Now torn, Jonouchi felt himself get dragged away by a returning Honda who grabbed him into a backbreaking embrace as his friends ran to Yugi, Anzu immediately running up to hug him. Yugi appeared to have stiffened, as if unsure of how to respond to such close contact, but then his entire demeanor changed and Yugi embraced Anzu back, smiling easily like usual. Despite being lost as to how to react to everything that was happening around him, Jonouchi at least felt relieved to see the return of his moron of a friend, punching Honda hard in the shoulder and catching him completely unaware by it.

"Oww, you ass," Honda cried out, holding his chest in pain as Jonouchi sniffed, "What the hell was that for?"

"For being such a stupid hero back there," Jonouchi yelled back, "You could have died, genius."

"It's no big deal. I got out of there before that could happen, and I caught the end of the duel. So Kaiba lost, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Was it just me, or did Yugi...seem different to you towards the end?" Honda asked, his eyebrows pinching together in concentration.

Jonouchi turned to Yugi, who was blushing softly as Anzu chatted excitedly with him. "No, I thought I noticed something, too, but maybe I was just delirious or something…" He had been electrocuted mere hours ago. Perhaps some things had been just a trick of the mind… "Hey, wait a minute - how the hell did you get here, anyway?"

Honda pointed a thumb behind him. A small, black-haired child approached them nervously. Jonouchi's eyes widened as he recognized Kaiba's brother, but he couldn't say anything about it. He only knew what he looked like because of sneaking onto the grounds of their house.

"Believe it or not, Kaiba's kid brother let me out," Honda revealed somewhat flippantly.

"It's not what you think!" Mokuba interjected. His gaze turned toward the floor, and he knitted his fingers together as he spoke. "My sister isn't like this. It's all his fault...and now I don't even know what's happened to her!"

"Hey brat, how is this Yugi's fault? I don't recall him designing a death trap and inviting us over!" Jonouchi yelled, shaking a fist.

"I don't mean Yugi! I don't know why she's so obsessed with him, but she was never like this growing up. It's all our adoptive father's fault - if only she hadn't won that game…" Mokuba trailed off, his eyes filling with tears.

Yugi, hearing his name come up in a heated conversation, turned to them after exchanging a worried glance with Anzu.

Jonouchi pinched the bridge of his nose. What was the kid even talking about? "Hold up, hold up - you mean you two aren't actual Kaibas? Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Mokuba fell silent, his eyes shifting from face to face. He looked toward the dais, at the blank Jumbotron screens and the emptying aisles, and nodded.

"Our parents died when we were young," Mokuba began. "Our relatives were supposed to take care of us, but they ran off with our inheritance after abandoning us at an orphanage. My sister always tried to protect me, but I know life there was hard for her. So many people wanted to adopt her, because she got a reputation for being a genius, but she refused to leave me behind.

"But one day, Kaiba Gozaburo came, looking for an heir to adopt," Mokuba shivered at the man's name. "And Nee-sama, knowing that Gozaburo was the world chess champion, made a bet with him…" Mokuba grew silent, lost in thought.

Anzu knelt before him and took Mokuba's hands in hers. He didn't look up, but he inhaled a shuddering breath.

"What did your sister do?" Anzu prompted. Tears started to flow freely down Mokuba's cheeks.

"She made him promise that if she won a game of chess against him, then he'd have to adopt us both. I think Nee-sama was so desperate at the time to get us both out of there, she didn't realize what that really meant.

"Every day, from dawn until dusk, he put Nee-sama through rigorous training. She never caught a break, and even though she never let on, I know he was using me as a way to threaten her. It's strange," Mokuba laughed miserably, "our adoptive father never showed much interest in me. And I know Nee-sama wanted to keep it that way. But after we left the orphanage, she changed. I could see it in her eyes - she never once smiled after that day, at least not a real one."

Mokuba paused his story, looking questioningly at Anzu, when she held his hands more tightly. He looked surprised by her stunned expression - her eyes were wide, and her arms trembled. Jonouchi was shaken himself-of all the stories he'd expected Kaiba to have, that hadn't been one. Mokuba looked at them individually, first to Yugi, whose face mirrored Anzu's, then to Honda. Jonouchi returned the gaze, until he couldn't manage the sad look in Mokuba's eyes and he dropped his stare, feeling like a coward.

The confession had floored Jonouchi, his body feeling as if ice water had been dropped over his head, a cold chill settling over his body. The whole situation seemed so fucked up. To be dumped by family and then taken in by a sociopath - despite Jonouchi's family being a far cry from ideal, at least his father had never left him or sold him out… Then Jonouchi realized, his stomach flipping from the anticipation, that Mokuba's story could only get worse.

"So... something must have happened, right? I remember hearing about it in the news - the CEO of Kaiba Corporation vanishing and his sixteen-year-old heiress taking over," Honda said, rubbing at his chin.

"That's what they wanted you to believe, but that's not what really happened," Mokuba replied. "I don't know the details, but there was a coup. Nee-sama somehow gathered the support of the board of directors and ousted Gozaburo from his CEO position. When Seto took over, Gozaburo couldn't process the loss, so... he killed himself. Seto inherited everything afterwards, but she hasn't been right since that day. I don't know what exactly happened. She won't tell me."

Mokuba fought back tears, but they still continued to fall down his cheeks as everyone grew silent. Only Yugi spoke up, his eyes shining in that bright and hopeful manner of his as he stood before the younger Kaiba.

"Don't worry about your sister, Mokuba, everything will be alright," he advised, "I know it might sound strange, but trust me. Kaiba's lost right now and it'll take some time for her to put the pieces of her heart back together, but once she does, she'll return to you. Promise."

"How do you know that?" Mokuba asked as he tried wiping snot from his nose away, "They just sent her to the hospital!"

Yugi smiled, touching Mokuba's shoulder before grabbing his hands together. "Trust me," Yugi pleaded, "I can't tell you how I know this, but I just know. Everything will be fine."

There was a sense of hope when Yugi said those words, but Jonouchi still felt unsure. Kaiba had just collapsed in front of them all, appearing comatose. His head started to hurt, his hands sweating uncontrollably. So many people were ending up hurt. Combing his hands through his hair nervously, Jonouchi broke the uncomfortable silence before Mokuba could begin tearing up again.

"It's getting late. I gotta start heading back home before my old man throws a fit," Jonouchi lied. His dad didn't generally give a shit about when he came back home, as long as he wasn't missing past a week. "I don't like riding the bus at night."

"Yeah, I gotta go too," added Anzu, "I'm sorry about your sister, Mokuba. Just trust Yugi, he's never wrong about these sorts of things."

Yugi blushed at that and Jonouchi just rolled his eyes.

"Let's get going guys; can't you see the kid is worn out? He probably doesn't want to keep hearing about this."

Mokuba nodded his head, wiping away the last of his tears before running off toward the black-haired man who had picked up Kaiba earlier after the duel had ended. They seemed very well-acquainted, and despite Jonouchi's continuing uneasiness, he headed out for home with his friends.

Maybe Yugi was right... Maybe everything would be just fine.


	7. Chapter 7

Feel free to bother me with aggressive messages when I forget to update. Enjoy.

* * *

SIX MONTHS LATER

When Kaiba opened her eyes, they immediately shut back up against her will from the discomfort of the light. Grumbling before covering her face with a hand, Kaiba let out a long, loud sigh. She felt incredibly weak and achy, her skin clammy and pale as she glanced down at her body and frowned. Finding herself lying in a white bed inside an equally plain and white-painted room, Kaiba immediately tried getting up but fell at the first attempt, her arms too weak to be of much help.

Turning her head, she realized that she was hooked up to monitors. The nurse in the room with her started shuffling around, talking to her, but Kaiba didn't pay her any attention. She could barely even remember what had happened, her head hurt so much. Finally gaining some awareness, she did realize something was wrong. Something precious... It was missing.

"Where is Mokuba? Where's my brother?" she demanded, her eyes growing frantic as she scanned the room over and over again.

"Kaiba-sama, he's in Domino City, taking care of your business. You had an accident and the corporation decided it would be best for you to be sent to the country until you were stabilized. Your brother is safe," explained the nurse. "He'll come visit you as soon as you are well enough to see him."

"I don't need permission to see my own kin," snapped Kaiba, and she pulled the blankets off her chest, exposing the monitors that were attached to her. Despite not feeling well at all, Kaiba ripped them off before the nurse could intervene, tearing everything off save the IV drip in her hand. Thankfully the staff had been careful; Kaiba didn't spot any bed sores or an infection on the needle site, but she was irritated nonetheless at being stuck in bed like some invalid.

Hell, she was an invalid. She could barely control her own limbs.

"I want Mokuba immediately sent back here," ordered Kaiba, trying to regain a sense of authority despite her voice failing her several times. She could barely spit out the words, her mouth felt strange and her throat was dry. "I need him here with me. Now."

"I'm afraid, Kaiba-sama, that can't be possible," told the nurse as she grabbed Kaiba's chart from off her bed. "The Big Five have forbid him from coming until you are well. They don't want you getting too excited and becoming sick again. You need to rest."

"Like hell I do," answered Kaiba, and she knocked over a bedside table before realizing it wasn't the best of ideas while her arm was still weak. Feeling pain rushing up her limbs, Kaiba bit her lip before lying back limply into her bed. "I won't rest until I see my brother."

The nurse sighed. She took out a syringe and bottle of liquid, and Kaiba eyed it suspiciously. The nurse was not going to listen to her. Kaiba knew that now, and looking at her sharply, she realized that the Big Five had probably hired her, which meant she'd only listen to them. That put Kaiba in a bad spot, and she cursed herself internally for being so clueless.

The Big Five were snakes. Almost as bad as Gozaburo Kaiba, only more underhanded and cowardly. They couldn't dish out their own dirty work, and they were all of lesser intelligence than Kaiba's late adoptive father. Although he was a monster, Gozaburo was also a genius when it came to games and war. His lackeys, however, couldn't really be trusted with anything. They were corporate dinosaurs, from another era of grey-suited business men that had long since passed. Gozaburo only kept them because they were easy to control.

Kaiba would have to just suffer the Big Five's stupid requests until she had her strength back. She felt tired, but without knowing how Mokuba was faring, she didn't feel comfortable enough to try resting her eyes again.

"I'm going to give you a quick sedative," informed the nurse, "Just to help you relax a little. I think you've had enough excitement now for the time being."

"What!" Kaiba sprang up, but before she could beat the nurse away, she had already injected the liquid into her IV bag and collapsing, Kaiba couldn't fight back drooping eye lids. She lacked all control of her body, and digging her nails into the sheets of the bed, she quickly faded into an uneasy sleep.

Life had returned to normal in the six months after Death-T. One open-heart surgery and weeks of physical therapy later, Yugi's grandfather had finally left the hospital. It took him a while to ease back into work, so Jonouchi found himself working at the Kame Game Shop after school and on weekends, in addition to his other part-time jobs. He was grateful for the extra pay, and working at the shop meant hanging out with Yugi even more than before, practicing at Duel Monsters all the time, and spending less time at home.

It also took his mind off of Kaiba, despite the many reminders of her presence. The empty desk at school. The almost menacing look Yugi sometimes got when they were playing cards together. The wistful gaze on the elder Mutou's face when he watched.

They didn't talk about it. Sometimes Yugi would rush away after school was finished, full of anxiety and apologies. Jonouchi never questioned him, but he knew those were the days when Yugi would go to visit Kaiba at the hospital. Yugi's book bag would hang heavy on his back, stuffed with various novels and stacks of missed assignments. Sometimes Jonouchi wanted to confront his best friend about it, at times to ask him why he bothered, and other times to ask if he could tag along. But he always felt too awkward and stupid to ask, helplessly watching the guilt eat Yugi away.

There was nothing he could do. Neither blaming the spirit living in Yugi's puzzle nor talking bad about Kaiba would make Yugi feel any better, so Jonouchi pretended he was none the wiser. It made him feel useless and miserable - like a bad friend, but Jonouchi didn't know what to do.

Meeting the Spirit of the Puzzle had been a rather mind-blowing turn of events. But it had explained Yugi's strange behavior and the gaps in his memory. It was weird to witness the flickering personalities every time they swapped, and Yugi had retreated into himself from worry after the revelation, but Jonouchi reassured him that no matter what, Yugi was still Yugi, and they would always remain friends. Jonouchi would be lying if he said the "Other" Yugi didn't freak him out, if only just a little - although Jonouchi knew the spirit meant well, his apparent powers made Jonouchi feel just the slightest bit uneasy.

He was never much a fan of supernatural shit.

Kaiba was a prime example. While Death-T was the pinnacle of fucked-up, at least those dangers had been human. It was a strange and funny thought, but Jonouchi realized that Kaiba didn't scare him. Intimidate and perturb him, sure, but not scare. She was just a human being, and while Jonouchi couldn't understand why she tried to have him and his friends murdered like that, Jonouchi knew he could manage one day to find out. To learn what her motivations were and maybe, just maybe, get some sort of apology from her. An explanation that would explain everything... The spirit's motivations, however, were less easily explained…

Six months had passed, and Kaiba was still catatonic. Yugi had promised her brother that she'd eventually be okay, but how long would that take? Despite everything she'd done, the loose threads still left a bitter taste in Jonouchi's mouth. It didn't help that he still kinda-sorta had a thing for her, although Jonouchi didn't dare admit anything to his friends. Not after all that had happened. But it didn't prevent him from checking that empty desk every day or snapping his head when the classroom door would open unexpectedly.

It was frustrating, not knowing. And so one day, Jonouchi finally gathered up the nerve and decided to pay a visit to the hospital. Getting the information from Yugi had been painfully awkward, but Yugi gave it up with a small smile and no questions asked. Jonouchi's cheeks had burned red as Yugi passed the slip of paper to him, and he took off with a hurried goodbye before any of the others could notice.

At the hospital, he was greeted by an empty room. The monitors were shut off, the bed had been made, and there were no signs that anyone was currently occupying it. Sunlight and silence filled the room. Had Yugi written down the wrong room number…?

Racing to the nurses' station, Jonouchi tried to catch his breath as he waved down an attendant. "Excuse me, but... is there a patient by the name of Kaiba Seto here? I was told she was in room 302…"

The nurse eyed Jonouchi's school uniform and his panicked expression before looking at her charts with a knowing smile, "Kaiba-sama? I'm afraid she checked out last week."

"Wait, she checked out? You mean-"

"Yes, well, she had stabilized, so her staff had her moved to another facility," explained the nurse. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to give that information out…

"Are you a classmate of hers?"

"Ah, yes, ma'am," Jonouchi replied, feeling heat creeping back into his cheeks.

The nurse gave him another smile. "There's another boy who would come to visit her, wearing the same school uniform as yours. Short, with wild-looking hair - Mutou-san, I believe. Would you mind sharing the information about Kaiba-sama with him? I'd hate for him to come all the way over here just to find out the same news."

"Sure. Thank you," Jonouchi mumbled, bowing.

By the time Jonouchi left the hospital, the sky had darkened into evening, orange melting into purple and pink, the weak light of early stars peeking near the horizon. The whole ordeal had been a bust - Kaiba was gone and now unreachable, and although he'd learned that her condition had improved, Jonouchi still didn't know if she had woken from her coma. Kicking rocks as he stomped back to the bus stop, Jonouchi couldn't reason why he felt so disappointed.

For all intents and purposes, he should hate her. For playing him for a fool; for nearly killing him, his friends, and Yugi's grandfather. For making him think he had a chance. But he couldn't bring himself to hate her - not after hearing Mokuba's story and seeing the utter despair written across his face. The kid loved his sister, so she couldn't be completely rotten, right?

Jonouchi hadn't exactly been an angel in his past, either. But Yugi had still given him a second chance.

He'd put someone in the hospital once, after all. Jonouchi didn't like thinking about it, but it had happened, right before his freshman year of high school. It was a major reason why he'd been sent to Domino High School unlike everyone else in his middle school class, and years after the incident, Jonouchi still felt lingering guilt.

It didn't help that he was still a jackass after transferring, either. He'd given everyone a hard time, especially Yugi, when he first came. Only Honda really got along with him at first, but that was probably because Honda knew what the rough side of town was like, and Jonouchi respected his street smarts. Yugi had always been a tad effeminate, and it took Jonouchi a long time to get over that instead of trying to "turn him into a man."

Now he just felt silly over the entire thing. But it was in the past now, and Yugi had given him a chance. Despite all the shit he'd put him through.

Like throwing that puzzle piece into the school pool...

It drifted from Jonouchi's mind once he reached Anzu's condo, buzzing the intercom before being allowed inside. Anzu's parents were white collar types, and they lived in a nice residential area, full of manicured tiny little lawns and well-groomed children whose mothers pushed them on strollers through the neighborhood. Anzu's manners were a reflection of that, and taking off his outdoor shoes and replacing them with house slippers, Jonouchi rolled his eyes before running up stairs towards her bedroom.

He needed to get some study time in before going to the Game Shop. Sugoroku let him sleep on the couch in his living room, which made getting to school easier instead of having to catch the bus on the crappy side of town like Jonouchi usually did. Yugi's mother also cooked, allowing him to eat actual nutritious food whenever he stayed over, so at least he had something nice to look forward to after busting his ass over homework.

The door was open and Jonouchi saw Anzu lying on her bed, skirt caught around her thighs as she read through a textbook. Her hair was covering her face, and Jonouchi had to do a double-take before he felt silly, sitting on the floor cross-legged with his English notes to begin studying.

Anzu set her textbook down, looking over Jonouchi's bad scribbling before smiling.

"You took good notes this time," she praised, "Ready for the test?"

"Not really," mumbled Jonouchi, "I just got so bored in class, I actually decided to pay some attention for once."

"You should try that more often. If you make a habit of it, maybe your grades would improve and you wouldn't need my help after class so much."

Jonouchi rolled his eyes. As if he'd ever understand such a confusing language on his own. Mathematics didn't make much sense, either, and history was too boring to pay any attention to. He didn't like studying Japanese, either (what was the point, he already knew it), and besides gym and shop class, everything was boring. Even study hall was unbearable, and he didn't even have to listen to a teacher drone on about shit.

"Besides," joked Jonouchi with a sly smile, "Maybe I like the excuse of coming over to your house, Anzu."

He felt a jolt of pain on the back of his head before grabbing it, realizing quickly that Anzu had struck him.

"Oww," Jonouchi yelped. Anzu was glaring down at him, not looking sympathetic in the least. "That actually hurt."

"Good."

Narrowing his eyes, Jonouchi turned his attention back towards his notes. Maybe if Anzu wasn't so damn hostile, she could get a boyfriend like the other girls in their class. She wasn't bad looking in the least: a little homely, but a lot of guys didn't like aesthetically striking girls and found them intimidating. Her hair was cut short and had a nice reddish hue to it, and Anzu always had had nice big eyes. With dark eyelashes and a lean body, she attracted enough attention from the male student body and Jonouchi could not understand for a life of him why such a cute girl pushed so many boys away. It didn't make any sense to him.

"Why do you hate guys so much," babbled Jonouchi out loud without thinking, "You'd think a girl would be a little more appreciative for being liked."

Anzu rolled her eyes, not bothering to glance up from her textbook. "Wow, Jonouchi - there's so much wrong with that statement, I don't know where to begin. Just because a girl doesn't automatically swoon over every guy who shows her interest doesn't mean she's automatically a man-hater.

"Anyways, why the sudden interest?" she asked, giving Jonouchi a piercing stare.

"I just don't get it. You're pretty. Why don't you have a boyfriend? Plenty of guys like you."

Sighing, Anzu tossed her textbook aside, rolling over onto her back. "It's not about quantity. Girls are allowed to have standards, you know," she replied, examining the ends of her hair. "I barely have enough free time as it is with dance practice, so I don't want to date anyone just to date. It's distracting.

"I might consider it if the right guy came along, but… For now, no."

"What would be the 'right guy,' then," asked Jonouchi, "He'd have to be really good looking?"

Letting out an exasperated breath, Anzu turned an apathetic glare onto Jonouchi before turning her gaze back to the ceiling. "I don't know," she said, bopping her legs up and down, "Sure, looks are part of it, but that's not the only thing. There's the personality, too, and values… And...you know, that spark."

"Spark? I'm a guy, Anzu, I don't get that romantic crap you girls seem to like so much..."

Snorting, he turned the page of his book as Anzu gave him the evil eye. What, did it have to be fireworks and shit when a girl saw a guy she liked? That was ridiculous. How could anyone even hope to date if a girl was going to be so picky over how she chose her boyfriend? Jonouchi didn't get it. Life wasn't a romantic melodrama.

"Oh shut up," Anzu cried, launching a pillow in Jonouchi's direction. "You asked, so you got an answer. It's more than just attraction... you have to feel a connection with that person. Ugh, why do I even bother explaining?" she lamented.

"Because I want to get this girly crap."

No wonder Yugi didn't stand a chance. Anzu was crazy. Cute, but crazy. He scrunched up his face just thinking about it before cowering as he was struck down with another blow from her over-sized pillow.

"You guys make shit difficult, you know."

"It's "guys",'" Anzu corrected. "And we wouldn't be so 'difficult' if you guys learned to pay attention," she huffed. "But looks like you're rather lacking in that department, Jonouchi, seeing as you just dismissed what I said as "girly crap"."

"Okay fine, let's say I pay attention then. It won't help me any since I'm ugly anyways..."

This time, Anzu did smack him. "Jonouchi Katsuya! Don't you dare say that about yourself!"

"It's true," Jonouchi yelled back as he rubbed his head again, trying to move away from Anzu's reach after being hit twice that afternoon, "And do you have to hit me so hard? I'm gonna black out one of these days..."

"Take it like a man," Anzu sniped sarcastically. "And it's not true, Jonouchi - you're far from ugly. Where did you even get that idea?"

"...Girls hate me."

"I'm a girl, and I don't hate you," Anzu said, her voice growing slightly softer, "So your point's invalid. That shouldn't be a measure of value, anyway." She shifted off her bed, sitting next to Jonouchi on the floor and leaning into his shoulder. "You're a good person. You've got a heart of gold to match the color of your hair," she snickered, reaching up to tug at an errant lock. "You're tall and fit, you have a strong jawline, and your eyes look really nice when you smile. And sure, you're boisterous, but you have an odd sort of charm. It's kind of endearing," she smiled. "But above all, you're kind and loyal. The girls who can't see that are just missing out, and they're not worth it anyways."

Making a face, Jonouchi wasn't sure if he agreed with that. Maybe those girls just had more sense than Anzu. Maybe Jonouchi wasn't ugly, but he certainly wasn't as good as she thought he was. After all, he'd done plenty of bad before they'd met and Jonouchi intended to keep her in the dark over what exactly he'd been doing, since Anzu was soft and he didn't want to scare her away.

Only Yugi and Honda knew that much about it, mostly because the gang had a way of showing up in Jonouchi's life unexpectedly.

"I'm not as great as you think I am," Jonouchi reasoned under his breath, "Besides, I'm not getting any girl anytime soon.

"Do you even like anyone at school right now? What about Yugi? He's got a ton of good qualities, you know. He's not tall, but neither are you," laughed Jonouchi.

Anzu pulled away sharply. "No way!" she denied hastily, "Yugi? I couldn't. We're just friends - I've known him practically forever…"

"I don't see why that's a bad thing..."

Jonouchi didn't get it. Probably never would. Girls could be funny about stuff like that. They liked mysterious guys, and Yugi probably didn't come off as tall, dark, and mysterious. He was a short geek who liked playing games after school, and he still tended to get bullied a lot, so of course Anzu wouldn't want to date him.

It was just so pathetic sometimes watching Yugi pine away as Anzu carried on oblivious to his crush. Honda and Jonouchi hated watching, sometimes it was near painful, but what could they do? Apparently Anzu didn't like him romantically. She probably wouldn't ever change her mind about that, either.

Eh. Why did Jonouchi even care about that kind of crap? Relationships were for girls.

"I'm going to Yugi's place after we're done with this." He needed to help straighten up the store, among other things. "Are you gonna come over too?"

"Yeah, I'm sure my parents won't mind. We'd better get cracking on this homework, then."

They took the bus together to get to Yugi's place, reaching the shop before dark. Anzu was always jumpy about walking around late at night, which Jonouchi didn't quite understand. Japan was safe, compared to most places, and Yugi lived in a pretty nice neighborhood, yet she was always watching her back like some boogeyman was going to come jumping out at any moment.

"You got me standing right next to you, weirdo," mumbled Jonouchi, "No one's gonna try bothering you. Besides, we're almost there."

"I'm sorry I can't be as brash about venturing through dimly-lit streets like you, Jonouchi," Anzu sniffed back.

Standing before the Game Shop, they both knocked on the door before Honda let them in, Yugi appearing behind him. He looked so short in comparison, and Jonouchi couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the comparison. Whereas Honda was tall and wide-shouldered with a masculine face, Yugi was short and naturally skinny. There wasn't anything imposing about him. People often mistook him for a middle school student, in fact.

"Got any food," Jonouchi immediately asked, "I haven't eaten yet. Anzu's parents don't believe in decent junk food-"

"-You eat too much garbage!"

Grinning in reply, Jonouchi ran to the back of the house as Anzu pouted. He might not have liked the local produce Anzu's parents preferred, but he still ate a ton of their food regardless.

Shaking her head, Anzu followed the boys, leaving her shoes by the door. She waved at Yugi's mother before joining the group in the living room. Everyone's attention was focused on the television.

"So, what are we watching?"

"The Domino City Champions, duh?" Jonouchi tossed a handful of chips into his mouth before chewing a few times and swallowing, "What else would we be watching?"

Anzu snorted before joining the elder Mutou on the floor, "As if I keep track of these things. That's why I've got you guys. So who's playing?"

"Insector Haga and Dinosaur Ryuzaki. They're both really young, but they're already very good Duelists," Sugoroku replied.

"Yugi, why don't you ever enter tournaments? I bet you're just as good, if not better, than these guys," Anzu asked.

Yugi glanced at his grandfather before turning his gaze to the floor. "It just... doesn't feel right. I made a promise to myself - that the next time I enter a tournament, it'll be to face her…"

Jonouchi paused mid-chew before swallowing hard.

"Face her?" replied Anzu before scratching her head, "Why would you want to do that? If you're talking about Kaiba, let me remind you she tried to kill us. What would be the point in inviting all of that back into our lives?"

"I want a fair duel. I don't think that was the 'real' Kaiba at that time. I know I'm probably being stupid, but she was the World Champion. I want to see what fighting against her is really like," Yugi admitted sheepishly.

"I don't get it, how was that not the real Kaiba..."

Anzu looked puzzled. Jonouchi glanced up at her face with a sort of uncomfortable gaze, feeling his face warming up before he forced himself to look away. He didn't want to think about what he thought was the real Kaiba, when they had first talked. She had seemed friendly when they spoke in class, but how did Jonouchi know that wasn't just an act. Had he ever met the real Kaiba before? Unlikely.

"You heard what Mokuba told us," Yugi said earnestly. "Even her brother thought that something was wrong. I don't know if it was stress or something else, but Mokuba seemed pretty convinced that the Kaiba that day wasn't the Kaiba he grew up with."

"The match is about the start!" Sugoroku announced, shushing the teenagers with a wave of his hand.

Anzu frowned, looking put off as Jonouchi moved away from her. He sat cross-legged on the ground, hoarding a bag of chips as he ate dispassionately. Yugi sounded so self-assured about Mokuba's testament, but sometimes siblings thought too highly of their older siblings. What if he was wrong? What if Mokuba was in denial of his sister's new, true nature?

He didn't like entertaining that thought, though. How could anyone be so horrible as to attempt murder over a damn card game? Jonouchi couldn't make sense out of that, yet Kaiba had tried killing them. Multiple times. She even seemed amused by the little games she had come up with.

What was even more disturbing, though, despite it all, Jonouchi couldn't seem to get the chick out of his head.

"Huh, looks like those Duel Boxes have been officially made part of the game," Honda said, wrinkling his nose as the players entered the glass cube and sat on opposite sides of the table.

Jonouchi peeked at Yugi and his grandfather, but neither's face betrayed any emotion. Instead, they were focused on the screen, seemingly oblivious to the conversation around them.

"Hey Yug', who do you think will win?" Jonouchi asked in an attempt to break his friend's reverie.

Yugi tapped a finger against his chin. "Hmm... well Insector Haga's specialty is insect combos, and Dinosaur Ryuzaki's strategy is to overwhelm his opponents with sheer brute force. It's hard to say!" he replied. "What do you think?"

"Pfft, bugs versus dinosaurs? I think the outcome is pretty obvious," Jonouchi drawled, popping another chip into his mouth.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Yugi countered with a sly smile. "Ah! It's beginning!"

They watched with rapt attention, sitting on the edges of their seats and leaning towards the TV set. The match was over in a matter of minutes, leaving Jonouchi with his jaw on the floor and Yugi whooping excitedly. Honda and Anzu were stunned speechless, while Sugoroku merely nodded to himself with a knowing smile.

"Wait, it's already over?" Honda cried.

"Indeed, that's how these final matches go sometimes. They're not always the drawn-out battles everyone's used to. If you really know your deck, you can pull a one-turn kill," Sugoroku observed. "Oh, look - it's the creator of Duel Monsters, himself: Pegasus J. Crawford!"

A young, silver-haired businessman in a red suit emerged carrying a large trophy cup. He presented it to the winner, who seemed a little star-struck by the meeting.

Jonouchi turned to Yugi with clenched fists, his excitement brimming. "That was so cool! Yug', you've gotta show me how to do that! Where's your deck? Let's play a game right now!"

"Yeah!" Yugi replied enthusiastically, his face alight with a fierce grin. When he moved to leave the room, his grandfather stopped him.

"Before you do that, a package came for you today. I didn't want to open it while you weren't here, but I'd like to know what's inside!" Sugoroku said, retrieving the said item.

The box was small and light. Everyone crowded around it as Yugi ripped the packing tape off, revealing a singular glove, a videotape, and two golden star-shaped chips. He smiled before inserting it into the player. Jonouchi sat his bag of chips down and squinted when the video started playing, Pegasus smiling at them on the screen when suddenly Jonouchi's eyes went dark and he felt himself falling.

What was happening? Panicked, Jonouchi tried fighting, but instead of getting up, all he felt was his mind succumbing to darkness...

Sitting alone at a desk, Kaiba continued to work into the night. She still felt weak, but she refused to allow herself to rest as she continued fiddling with her new invention. It was the only thing that kept her nerves at bay, her anger rising on occasion when she replayed the words her board had told her.

"We care about you," they said, "Mokuba is a distraction from your return to health. He is best here, with us, where we can take care of him. Focus on getting well, Kaiba-sama," advised the Big Five, "We can take care of your empire, and it'll be ready for you when you return."

She had no reason to feel paranoid, yet she couldn't fight the inkling that they were planning something behind her back. There was no reason to keep Mokuba away for so long. Kaiba was already feeling better. Although she spent most time indoors reading or working on her games, she also went outside sometimes, and she felt her stamina returning. Gozaburo had always praised her for being so durable, after all. He'd tried enough times before to break her, and Kaiba didn't think a temporary coma of all things would be the test to do her in.

After all, she was only sixteen. She could bounce back from anything.

The audacity of the Big Five just ate away at her, though. How dare they buck her authority. At her current condition, Kaiba knew she couldn't do much about it, but she promised herself to punish them once she could return to Kaiba Corporation and reclaim the reins to her company. It was just ridiculous being made to stay on vacation when she was already feeling well.

The Duel Disk was almost done, though. It wasn't as stylish as she had hoped it to be, but Kaiba knew the technology was functional, and in a prototype, that's all that mattered. It didn't have to look pretty, and Kaiba wanted it to be more lightweight, anyway. Carrying around several pounds on her forearm was not preferable.

Besides that, she wanted the graphics absolutely perfect before anyone saw it. No doubt the Big Five would be more dubious of her abilities after that failed duel with Mutou Yugi...

She couldn't believe she'd lost. Replaying the match in her mind, Kaiba tried to make sense of it, but it was simple. Yugi played Exodia. He was somehow able to summon it before Kaiba had a chance to attack with her dragons.

There'd have to be a rematch, once she was back to her full strength.

For the time being though, all she could do was try to put back the pieces of that day as she continued working on her Duel Disks. Her memory after losing was disjointed. The nurse had told her she'd collapsed right after, from reasons they weren't aware of: there was no medical explanation for it.

A light knock sounded on the door. Raising her head from her work, Kaiba gazed as a servant entered, bowing before setting a tray on the empty side of the table.

"Your dinner, Kaiba-sama," said the maid in a soft voice, "Pork belly with curry over rice."

Making a face, Kaiba pushed the tray away. "I'm not hungry."

"Kaiba-sama must eat," continued the maid with a fake smile, "After having been asleep so long."

Kaiba hardly felt hungry. It wasn't as if the food smelled or looked unappetizing, but she genuinely didn't like comfort food. Her personal staff knew that, but the maid wasn't from her household. No one Kaiba saw was anyone she had employed within the mansion, and that made her duly nervous.

She was surrounded by strangers.

"Stop harassing me," snipped Kaiba as she pushed the dish away again, "I'm not hungry. Now take that swill and get out of my room."

Bowing, the maid did as instructed.

With a sigh, Kaiba tossed her screwdriver aside, pushing away from the desk and slouching in her chair. The house felt like a cage. She was sure she could most likely leave, if she felt like it, but she was reluctant to give the Big Five any possible ammunition to use against her - crap like reckless endangerment leading to reckless decisions.

She breathed in deeply, exhaling slowly, feeling the air retreat from her lungs. It pained her to admit, but it was true - while she was feeling stronger with each passing day, she still wasn't fully recovered. But that wasn't any reason to keep her brother away for so long.

Rubbing her eyes, Kaiba absently noted the pitch-black sky outside her window. The last time she'd checked, the sky had been a pale yellow. Retrieving her discarded tool, Kaiba set to work again.

This was all Yugi's fault. That the pipsqueak had managed to best her - twice - was a hard pill to swallow. Kaiba was the best. She did not lose.

She might as well have been dead.

When Jonouchi had woken up, he found himself on the floor alongside Anzu, Honda, and Yugi's grandfather, who wouldn't awaken. Yugi seemed completely stressed out, and reaching over to investigate, Jonouchi gently tapped on Sugoroku's shoulder only to receive no response back.

"Hey Oji-san," he called out, "Are you all right?"

Everyone else was just starting to come to. Yugi had rushed over to his grandfather's side, apparently the only person in the room who hadn't suddenly fallen after that video had played.

"What's wrong with your grandpa?"

Anzu looked about ready to panic. Watching Jonouchi's face, Yugi could see tears collecting around Jonouchi's eyes, like he was fighting back crying. It was distressing, and Jonouchi tried shaking Sugoroku again, but it did nothing.

"It's no use," Yugi cried out, "He's gone. That videotape was a trap. Pegasus somehow knocked us all out, but I don't remember much..."

The Other Yugi had been playing the duel. The one who had beat Kaiba. The spirit inside the Puzzle. Everything was getting more and more confusing...

"-I just remember a duel, and I almost beat Pegasus, but there was a time limit. He said I have to come to the next tournament he's hosting... And he stole Grandpa's soul so I couldn't refuse! What can I do? I have no choice!"

Anzu immediately went to Yugi, grabbing him in a hug while Jonouchi just stared at Sugoroku. The old man looked peaceful, like he was asleep. How the hell would they explain this to Yugi's mother? She was going to flip out, in all likelihood. Probably think her father had another damn heart attack.

They all stood there for a time thinking over what to do. Yugi didn't have much of a choice. Either he was going to save his grandfather, or they might never see the elder Mutou ever again.

The invitation cards had arrived the next day. Duelist Kingdom was only a week away, but no one had any idea what to expect - only one of the cards hinted that it was some kind of an island, and the mysterious items that Yugi had received were integral to what awaited them.

It just so happened that the day Yugi received his dueling gear, Jonouchi found a tape in his mail. The address was odd. It came from Tokyo, where his mother lived with her new, rich husband and upper class family. He made a face while taking the wrapping off, and sticking it into his VCR, he almost gasped when he realized who had sent it to him.

"Shizuka?"

His little sister had taped herself. She looked well, with the same pretty hazel eyes and auburn hair she had always had since she was born, but something was wrong in her smile.

"Hey Nii-san, I just wanted you to know that I got back from the doctors recently, and they told me some bad news... My sight will be gone soon. I don't have much longer before I'll be unable to see anything ever again, and since Mom can't afford the surgery, I was just hoping maybe you'd come see me before it's too late. I'm sorry for not contacting you sooner."

The tape went on after that, going over the medical details, but Jonouchi couldn't pay attention. His mind shut down when he realized what was happening.

His sister was finally going blind.

Shizuka had always had poor eyesight, but they all thought it wouldn't fail until she was at least thirty. Somehow the deterioration had escalated when she was in grade school. Her vision was constantly failing, and since the government wouldn't pay for non-necessary surgery, it was up to the family to save for her operation. It never went anywhere. The cost was just too much, and the burden ended up breaking the family apart.

It wasn't Shizuka's fault, but still. Jonouchi felt like he should have done more to prevent it all from collapsing.

"Maybe that tournament will have a monetary prize for the winner..."

Pegasus didn't seem trustworthy, but what else could Jonouchi do? He didn't have much time. Shizuka would be completely blind within months, if she was lucky. Her sight would rapidly diminish in only a handful of weeks, and there wasn't anything anyone could do without a significant amount of cash on hand...

Jonouchi couldn't fight back the possibility of competing now that the thought had taken root in his mind. Sure, he was still new to dueling. He'd done well with Sugoroku's help in a few small-scale tournaments, but nothing like a big international competition against professional players.

Yugi might win, but Jonouchi didn't think he really had a chance.

But then again, what other choice did he have.

He refused to just sit back and do nothing. Not when family was on the line.

"I'll just have to try..."


	8. Chapter 8

A week later, Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu, Honda, and Ryou met at Domino Pier at nine o'clock sharp. The darkness of night was foreboding, and the chill off the ocean waves seeped through their thin jackets. A crowd had gathered under the looming shadow of a huge cruise ship, and Yugi breathed a sigh of relief that at least it seemed that they were in the right place.

"Hey look, they've got the same cards as Yugi!" observed Ryou.

"Then they must be Duelists, too…" gulped Jonouchi. He recognized a few faces from some of the local tournaments, but a certain pair was infinitely more intimidating. Domino City Champion, Insector Haga, and runner-up Dinosaur Ryuzaki were chatting amongst themselves, turning snide looks onto the competition.

Before any of them could approach the other Duelists, a hulking man in a business suit and shades emerged on the deck of the ship, flanked by two similarly-dressed guards. He strode to the railing, eyeing the crowd until it fell silent.

"Greetings, Duelists!" he announced in a booming voice. "Industrial Illusions welcomes you to the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. President Crawford has hand-selected each of you to participate in this illustrious event. It is an honor not lightly bestowed.

"Now is the time to seize that glory! Are you ready?"

The crowd erupted into cheers, the energy palpable and contagious. A shrill laugh from behind the group cut through the jubilations, and Jonouchi and Yugi both turned towards its direction.

"What a joke! They're getting so excited, like little kiddies. Is this what they call competition?"

Jonouchi nearly did a double-take. The woman was tall yet slender, her knee-high boots adding to her height. A tight white corset barely contained her ample bosom, and a barely-there purple miniskirt rode dangerously high on her thighs. Long blonde curls framed a delicate face showcasing huge violet eyes and cherry red lips.

She looked like the girls on magazine covers, and Jonouchi couldn't believe that such a knock-out beauty was a Duelist, as well.

Jonouchi belatedly realized that he (and Yugi and Honda, to his amusement) was staring. Their collective ogling seemed to draw the woman's attention, and she peeked over at them with a flirtatious smile.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Mutou," she teased, turning her full attention onto Yugi, who could only blush and stammer in response. She giggled at his embarrassment. "Yes, you're quite famous, you know. But what a shocker - that the great Kaiba was defeated by such a little boy…"

"Um...thanks…?" Yugi sputtered, taking a tiny step back as the woman advanced on him. Honda tried butting into the conversation, but the woman paid him no mind.

Flipping her hair behind her, she shouldered her bag and began to strut off toward the boat. "I'll give you a little bit of advice, Mutou-kun. Little kid or not, I'll crush any man who gets in my way." Twirling around, she blew a quick kiss towards the group, "The name's Kujaku Mai - don't forget it! I'll be seeing you around... _boys_!"

The group was stunned into silence. Anzu was fuming, her face a deep color of pink. Honda was slightly slack-jawed, while Yugi's ears had turned an unnatural shade of red. Jonouchi was merely stupefied. Only Ryou had seemed unaffected by the lady's charms.

"...Whatta babe!" Honda exclaimed, breaking the silence.

"I know, right!" Jonouchi yelled, punching Honda lightly on the shoulder. When he noticed Yugi just standing there, Jonouchi rattled him by the shoulders. "Yug'! You fucking lady-killer, she actually talked to you!"

Anzu slapped him hard on the back. "Are you dolts _quite_ finished yet?" she huffed. "The boat's going to leave without us!"

"Ow!" Jonouchi yipped. "Geez, Anzu, chill your panties! I'm not a punching bag!" Jonouchi whined, rubbing between his shoulderblades and casting her a dirty look.

She rolled her eyes in response, grabbing Yugi by his jacket and hauling him bodily away. The rest of the group scurried after her, filing into the crowd and onto the boat.

They were all led onto the boat, following behind the large man in the suit. Everyone seemed so happy and energized, despite how late it was. Jonouchi couldn't imagine sleeping yet, not with all the commotion going on around him. There were so many people on board, mostly young boys and teenagers who looked just as green as Jonouchi felt. He spotted Haga too, and eavesdropping, Jonouchi felt his smile fade as a familiar name rang in his ears.

"-I can't really call myself a champion until I beat you or Kaiba," said Haga as he smiled at Yugi, "That last competition was no real challenge."

Yugi seemed unsure as to what to say at that.

"By the way, I heard the rules in Duelist Kingdom are going to be different than usual tournaments. I don't know the details yet, but apparently there's going to be more strategy to winning than before," Haga said rather smugly, "Although that's not a problem for someone like me!"

Ryuzaki then butted in, rolling his eyes, "New rules mean nothing, all duels are the same. Kill or be killed, that's all there is to it!"

They both wandered off just as the suit stopped right before a large common room where a group of boys had already gathered, sitting on the ground trading duel monsters cards amongst each other.

"This is where you all will be staying for tonight," the man informed them all, "Except for past duel monsters champions. Those few duelists will be escorted now to their suites."

Yugi sighed and Jonouchi's face fell. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, staying in a large common room. Jonouchi figured he could look through his deck and maybe trade his cards for some new ones that could strengthen it and see what other people had in theirs. It was almost an advantage, being around the majority of the contestants, and scrambling off to trade, he only turned back around when he heard a shrill voice break through the low murmuring of boys.

"What do you mean I can't have a private room," screamed Mai, "Where the hell am I supposed to take a shower then?"

"Those are the rules," barked the guard, "Past winners only."

Ryuzaki started laughing as he walked towards the suite rooms, "Hey babe, they'll kick you off the ship if you keep whining about it... Haha, if you want, you can come crash in my room."

There was no way a hot chick like Mai was going to stay with a gross boy like Ryuzaki. Jonouchi made a face at that picture; Mai was older than all of them, at least past twenty if not older, while Ryuzaki had to be still in high school. He was like some nerd kid who all the girls in class ignored and it blew Jonouchi's mind when Mai latched onto him.

"Oh, you're such a sweetie!" she cooed, "Show me to your place."

Jonouchi felt the desire to gag at that. He didn't know what to think of what he was witnessing. Why the hell would Mai want to shack up with someone as gross as Ryuzaki?

"What a lucky jerk!"

Honda was fuming in the corner as Anzu rolled her eyes. They all found a place in the back, and Jonouchi took a seat on the floor next to Yugi. It would be pretty difficult trying to sleep while stuck in a crowd of other people, but he knew if he was tired enough, he could pass out anywhere. Floors didn't bother him that much.

"This will be like a sleep over," Ryou laughed.

Yugi looked so happy and Jonouchi couldn't help but get excited over the entire adventure. They were in the ocean, on a giant ship, being sent across the water to an island to compete in a duel monsters competition. His first ever big rated competition, in fact. Jonouchi knew the stakes were high; his sister would be counting on him, but still. He couldn't help but get giddy over the entire thing as everyone crowded around to trade cards with each other.

Eventually the excitement started to die down. Most of the contestants had fallen asleep on the floor in their packed up blankets while Yugi disappeared outside. Jonouchi followed, quiet as they both leaned against the railing of the ship, watching the waves hit the sides of the ship.

Despite whatever anxiety Jonouchi still felt about competing against the other competitors on the ship, he tried picturing Shizuka's smiling face again. Closing his eyes, he could see her auburn hair, the two of them walking along the beach other like they were both little kids together again.

"No matter what, I will get that prize money for her," Jonouchi mumbled to himself. "I can't fail her. Not at this."

Maybe he hadn't been there for her as she grew up, but that had more to do with his overbearing mother than anything Jonouchi could have done. She wanted him far away from his sister, and frowning, Jonouchi wondered why. Was he really that bad a son?

"Yugi, I didn't expect to see you out here."

Haga had reappeared. His glasses shined as he came out into the light, standing next to Yugi who appeared somewhat apprehensive.

"I got bored in my private suite," Haga boasted, "Ryuzaki got kicked out of his room, too. That Mai chick tricked him, haha. Anyways, I was hoping you'd let me see your Exodia cards."

"Exodia?" replied Yugi, "I guess if you want to."

"They're just such rare cards! I've never laid eyes on them before."

Yugi handed over the five cards hesistantly, smiling as Haga looked them over.

"So this is how you defeated Kaiba," he continued, "Your strategy. Well, it's not as good as mine!"

Before anyone could react, Haga tossed the cards overboard. Yugi scrambled, trying to reach for them, but he couldn't get any as they blew over board.

"No!" Yugi cried out, "My cards!"

Jonouchi felt something in his brain tick, and before he realized what he was doing, he handed his own deck to Honda before jumping off the rail, hitting the water feet first and almost feeling the air knocked out of his chest before rising to the surface for breath.

He could barely see in the darkness. The water was freezing and Jonouchi could feel heat escaping his body as he tried grabbing what cards he could make out in the blackness. His muscles ached in the freezing water and he felt like he was about to pass out before another loud splash echoed and he felt himself get lifted up from the water, a small arm grasping onto him as they were both lifted out of the water.

When he was on the deck again, he coughed up water and threw up as Honda hit him in the back.

"You moron!" he screamed, "You could have died out there! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I had to get Yugi's cards," Jonouchi said as he wiped his mouth, "He needs to save his grandpa."

Yugi was shivering as Anzu came running with a blanket, Ryou helping him up to his feet as they disappeared back inside.

"You are the biggest idiot I've ever met," chided Honda, "Don't do something that stupid ever again, okay? They're just cards."

They weren't just cards. Yugi's heart was in his deck. He needed them to get his grandfather back, and Jonouchi shoved Honda away before getting up on his feet, dragging himself over to the common room as a few people stared at his drenched appearance.

At least he hadn't drowned. Yugi had saved him, and sitting next to him, they both shared a blanket, shivering next to each other as Anzu went searching for more.

It took about four thick wool blankets before Jonouchi felt alive again. Yugi was asleep next to him, a small heater of sorts, and everyone else had passed out around them as well. Anzu and Ryou slept next to each other as Honda leaned against a wall, snoring away. Jonouchi was the only one in the dark room who still had their eyes open.

Maybe it was a bit rash diving in after duel monsters cards, but Jonouchi thought it was the right thing to do. His friend had been tricked and he thought he could get the cards back. All Jonouchi could manage to do was grab three out of the water, but the other two had gone under. It was a major disappointment; the Exodia cards were only good in combination with each other. They were relatively useless alone.

Could Yugi win without them?

He was a great duelist. Jonouchi knew that. But Yugi had almost lost to Kaiba before he managed to summon Exodia. They were nearly neck to neck before Kaiba got the upper hand and used it to her advantage, playing all three of her dragons and Yugi could do nothing to stop her.

That was a troubling thought. Jonouchi didn't want to think too hard about it; it wasn't right to doubt a friend. Yugi could manage, he was still the greatest gamer Jonouchi had ever met. He always won games, no matter what.

Kaiba.

Too tired to keep his mind of going off track, Jonouchi's thoughts turned to the shamed former world champion, who had disappeared sometime ago. They hadn't heard anything about her recovery before leaving, and Yugi had been worried. He was always sensitive about people who needed help, but Kaiba for some reason, was always in the back of his mind. Jonouchi didn't understand why; she'd tried to kill him, viciously so, yet Yugi cared so much about her.

He'd been visiting her in the hospital, after all. Jonouchi hadn't understood why at first, but now he just felt ashamed for not having gone in himself until it was too late.

He tried telling himself there was no point getting depressed over it. Even if he'd visited her every day, it wasn't like Kaiba would have known he was there. Or likely cared.

The realization stung.

At least he wouldn't have to go up against her in this tournament. And with that thought as a small consolation, Jonouchi drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Morning came unwelcomed as Jonouchi reluctantly opened his eyes. Yugi was still huddled close to him, and Jonouchi tried not to wake him as he carefully stretched his limbs. He lay there silently for a while before his nerves caught up to him and he felt the urge to do something - anything - to distract himself from his mounting anxiety.

Slowly extracting himself from the smaller teen, Jonouchi quietly pulled his shoes on and crept into the hallway. Everyone else was still fast asleep.

He wandered aimlessly for a while, ultimately winding up at the stern of the ship. Leaning heavily on the railing, Jonouchi watched the rippling of the waves as they crashed and dissolved into foam on the ship's wake. The sun was peeking over the horizon, a small fireball hovering over the large expanse of the ocean.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Jonouchi felt the edges of his card deck in his jacket pocket, and he felt his anxiety grow. Once they arrived on the island, everyone on the ship would be an opponent.

Staring at the sun as it shimmered off the surface of the water, Jonouchi straightened his back as his eyebrows furrowed. He couldn't allow his poor self-esteem to get in the way when he had a duty to his sister to perform. Sure, he felt nervous going against so many good Duelists, but this wasn't his first competition. Yugi had helped him, and his grandfather had placed him in city competitions for several months before this all had happened. Jonouchi had no reason to doubt his skills when he had more experience than most of the people he'd seen getting on the ship.

A lot of them weren't even high schoolers. They'd get knocked out of the competition fast, and Jonouchi tried to remind himself that he had been taught by the best.

There were only a few people he had to be careful of - players like Mai, Ryuzaki, and Haga. They were ruthless and probably knew exactly what they were doing. Not quite as professional as Kaiba Seto (he had studied Yugi's magazine after that whole incident), but still. Their talents and victories were nothing to laugh at.

Especially since they had actually been invited to the tournament, while he was sneaking in.

Getting back to the common room, Jonouchi found the gang waking up. It didn't take long before the ship opened the galley and everyone filled the tables eating the free continental breakfast before they reached the island. Although there were hundreds of people on board, they were all led ashore in very little time. Jonouchi felt a sharp shove against his back, and he turned irritably to see Insector Haga grinning maliciously at him before disappearing into the crowd.

The same man from the previous night rose on a platform to address them, looking more imposing in the morning sun. He directed them towards the castle in the distance, his underlings ushering them along the way.

High above on an overhanging balcony, the President of Industrial Illusions emerged.

"Welcome, Duelists, to my Duelist Kingdom tournament!" Pegasus exclaimed in perfect Japanese, spreading his arms with grandeur. "If you have not done so already, please don the glove you received with your invitation.

"Forty Duelists are gathered here today, but only one will emerge as the victor. Each of you has been given two star chips: these will be your lifeblood during this tournament! You may battle anywhere and at anytime, but before you do, you must wager at least one star chip. Only the first four to collect ten will advance to the finals.

"The tournament will begin in one hour, and I encourage you to review your decks and trade cards if you think it will help! However, the exchange of star chips outside of battle is forbidden, so be good girls and boys," Pegasus tsked playfully, wagging his finger, "Any participant caught in violation of this will be immediately ejected from the tournament.

"You will have forty-eight hours to secure a spot in the finals. Those who lose all of their star chips or do not collect ten by the time limit will be disqualified and depart the island immediately.

"I will pray for your success. Good luck!" Pegasus finished, blowing a kiss in a sweeping gesture towards the crowd.

The crowd erupted into cheering, but Jonouchi's mood remained somber. Beside him, Yugi gazed at the castle determinedly, a darkness glinting in the depths of his eyes.

There was pounding on the door. Kaiba looked up from her tinkering, feeling a sense of paranoia overcoming her senses before she rushed to get her Duel Disks into her briefcase before two armed guards broke into her study room.

They both had guns pointed at her. Kaiba knew exactly what was going on. There was a coup. Someone was trying to oust her while she was still unwell. She looked up slowly, putting her inner fear aside as she looked at the two men before her.

"Kaiba Seto, we've been ordered to take you to Kaiba Corporation this instant. Do you comply?"

She smiled for the briefest of moments before kicking the chair back hard, knocking the two men over before deciding in a split second to crash through the large window behind her. Ears ringing, she squinted when a gun went off, but her briefcase had reflected the bullet, and she found herself falling before reaching out and catching the side of the cliff.

What luck. Isono's training had come to some use.

Hiding against the wall of rock, Kaiba could feel sharp shards of glass fall all around her head and back, bouncing off the ledge like glittering jewels..

"Ugh, my deck..."

Looking up, she waited a moment before she was sure the guards had went away. She saw no one in the gapping hole that was her office window, and it took a bit of strength for Kaiba to throw her brief case up the rock ledge before hoisting herself up. Thank god Isono forced her to take those stupid martial arts courses she had used to resent so much...

She'd have to get her cards later. If that attempt at her life was any indication, Mokuba was probably in trouble. Her deck would have to be found later.

Right now, the only thing that mattered was finding Mokuba and figuring out what happened to Kaiba Corporation. Like hell if she'd let the most important and precious person in her life disappear without a fight, or the company she'd worked so hard to gain... Kaiba had shed sweat, tears, and blood to get where she was, quite literally. She wasn't going to die without taking a few people down with her.

A mere twenty minutes into the tournament had elapsed, and Yugi had already made short work of a national champion. Although Haga had managed to grab the upper hand a few times in the Duel, driving Yugi's life points down to just a hundred, Yugi had still emerged victorious, thwarting Haga's rather disgusting Cocoon of Evolution and claiming Haga's only two star chips. Jonouchi was glad to see the little insect and his nasty herd of bugs go, but he still wouldn't have minded creaming the creep to a pulp, or at least gifting him with a black eye for the shit he'd pulled with Yugi's Exodia cards.

The whole ordeal still burned at Jonouchi's conscience. He knew Yugi was a trusting guy, and knowing that, he should have been more careful. If his best friend refused to be suspicious of anyone, then it was Jonouchi's duty to be suspicious for him and protect him from himself. He felt a little guilty that he hadn't reacted faster - to wrestle the cards back, or to recover them before they sank to the ocean depths. Yugi was always looking out for Jonouchi - even giving up one of his two star chips to get him into the tournament - and yet Jonouchi couldn't even manage this one simple thing. Some best friend he was.

But he couldn't beat himself up about it forever. Yugi, ever the forgiving one, had already gotten over it. The cards were gone, but it had never affected his fighting spirit. He was determined to help his grandfather out, and it reminded Jonouchi that he, too, couldn't afford to lose focus. His sister's sight was on the line.

And he still only had one star chip.

Making their way out of the forest, the five friends were greeted by an open field. They could see a series of Duel Boxes scattered in the distance, and Jonouchi's heart started to quicken.

"Alright, I'm next!" Jonouchi crowed as he surveyed the landscape.

Yugi stopped next to him, giving Jonouchi a thoughtful glance. "Don't just rush in, Jonouchi-kun. Pick your battle site wisely. I'm sure you noticed, but the surrounding field affects your monsters."

"Jonouchi-kun, what kind of monsters do you have in your deck?" asked Ryou.

"Mine's full of beast and warrior-type monsters, so I guess this is it - the plains should be my strong area," Jonouchi remarked.

Just as he said that, Jonouchi caught sight of Mai at a distance. She was beating down some kid in a Duel, laughing in that shrill voice of hers as the boy hid his face in his hands. He frowned, unsure whether if he should go up against her or leave her for later. Apparently Mai knew what she was doing.

"What do you think of that, Yugi?" he pointed out, "You think that Mai chick is the real deal?"

"She's here," Yugi replied critically, "This is a private tournament with players Pegasus hand-selected, so she must be a high-caliber Duelist."

Jonouchi crossed his arms and pouted. Honda was still making eyes, but that figured. He wasn't competing, so he could look as much as he wanted without feeling the pressure of having to fight her.

"She's ruthless," Jonouchi continued, sighing, "Even if she is a fucking babe. I don't know Yugi, do you think I should go up against her?"

Yugi lowered his eyes, watching as Mai's opponent skulked away, her shriek of laughter the soundtrack to his defeat. "I don't know, Jonouchi. We don't really know anything about her, and you only have one star chip. I know you're eager to help your sister, but I don't want to see you ejected from the island because you rushed into things. Maybe we should watch her for a bit, or find someone else for you to duel…"

Unfortunately, Mai came skipping towards them, still reveling in her latest victory. She had a funny sort of smile on her face, eyes burning with focus as she approached the group, her hands on her hips and tossing her hair back like some model on a cat walk.

"How are your Duels going, Yugi?" she asked.

"Not bad..."

Yugi's countenance changed. Jonouchi could feel it, but he didn't know what exactly had happened. His presence just felt... different.

"Okay, I've decided," continued Mai with a laugh, "I'm going to duel you next!"

She was pointing towards Jonouchi. He gaped, his eyes wide and dumbly he pointed at himself as his heart started pounding sharply in his chest.

"Me?" fumbled Jonouchi.

"You won't run away, will you?" asked Mai with a slight grin, "Little boy?"

Jonouchi could feel the growl that echoed through his throat. Sure, he was still a high-schooler, but he didn't appreciate being talked down to like some kid. His eyes locked with Mai's before briefly flitting to Yugi's.

Mai gave him an appraising look and smirked, the bright pink lipgloss stark against her pale skin. "Well, of course I'd prefer to duel Yugi, here, but that will have to wait," she said, eyeing Jonouchi up and down. "After all, I need ten star chips to enter the finals - that means crushing the weaklings before I can get to the main course." She giggled, apparently enjoying Jonouchi outward rage and Yugi's obvious discomfort.

"Don't do it, Jonouchi!" Anzu called out, stepping forward. "She's purposely riling you up just to lure you in! You only have one star chip, remember?" When Jonouchi remained silent, she turned to Yugi, pleading, "Do something, Yugi!"

But Yugi stood unmoved, his eyes alight with fire. "Jonouchi. Do your best!"

Their friends broke out in shocked cries of disapproval, but the two Duelists paid them no mind. "Yeah, I knew you'd say that, Yug'! I know...if I run away now, that I'd always be a coward." He looked around, his fist clenching subconsciously. "Sure, I'm afraid I'll lose, but I'm not some wimp, either. I want to become someone I can be proud of." His heart was hammering, but he met his opponent's gaze and addressed her head-on, "So I accept your challenge, Kujaku Mai!"

They both bet one star chip. It sucked for Jonouchi, because it was the only chip he had. Putting that much on the line for one Duel put him on edge, but Yugi seemed to have faith in his abilities. He tried to tell himself that he could win.

Mai was gloating on the other side of the field. She pointed out the percentages on the field: 40% grassland, 40% mountains, and 20% wasteland. Jonouchi tried to keep calm, but against his better judgement, he felt himself losing constraint.

"What is with this field," he yelled out, "It's in 3D?"

Back at home, they just dueled on playing tables. This was something else entirely different...

When he glanced at Yugi's eyes though, Jonouchi immediately calmed down. Yugi's gaze was intense. It made Jonouchi get a grip on himself, and turning his attention back on Mai, he frowned before finally letting out a sigh.

"Can I ask you a question before we get started," Jonouchi asked.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you come to this island? Was it for honor or just the prize money?"

"Both," Mai said, her voice light like she was singing a song, "Why else would I bother with this dump? Once I win this tournament, I'll have all the money I'll ever need! I'll go all around the world and I'll live in Paris and buy as much Chanel and Vuitton as I want."

Jonouchi just snickered. "That's a pretty silly reason to be here."

Mai's face immediately darkened with what Jonouchi could only describe as feminine fury, "How dare you?" She started, her eyes burning and teeth bared, "What is your reason for coming here, then?"

"To save a life," Jonouchi replied softly.

At that, Mai seemed at a loss for words. She stared at Jonouchi, wide-eyed, before scoffing and reaching for her cards. "Let's begin!"

Jonouchi drew his hand, examining his cards. He quickly tried to memorize each card's attributes, but he became distracted when he saw a tiny motion out of the corner of his periphery. Mai's eyes were closed, a hand hovering over her five cards, laid face-down upon the table.

"H-hey, what the heck are you doing? Why aren't you looking at your cards?" he gaped.

Mai snickered at his bafflement, giving Jonouchi a wicked sneer. "I already know my hand," she replied airily. "And since it's ladies first, for my first card…" She pointed a finger at her cards, running across the backs of them before stopping at the middle card. "I'll play the Harpy Lady!" Mai announced, the buxom winged monster emerging from the card. "And since we're in the mountains, she gets a power boost," Mai cooed.

Jonouchi was shaken. Yugi was one thing. Hell, even Kaiba was another thing. Yet here was another person with some kind of weirdo talent when it came to Duel Monsters? Jonouchi cringed - somehow he just attracted the strangest luck. But...just how did Mai know without looking?

"And I'll play Tiger Axe - he, too, gets a boost from the plains! Attack!"

They were equally matched. The feline warrior dashed forward, but the harpy darted above it, slashing across its face with its talons. "What the-" Jonouchi gulped as his life points sank. Mai merely gave him a sly smile, winking as her monster returned next to her.

The battle escalated, Jonouchi bleeding life points as Mai continually powered up her Harpy Lady. He was at a total loss, in over his head, as though he'd been tossed overboard without learning how to swim. With each defeat, Jonouchi felt his confidence wither while humiliation took root and sprouted, vines of embarrassment and shame tying him down, immobile.

He knew he should've listened to Anzu. But no, he just had to give that self-assured speech that even Yugi had bought into. Compared to Mai, he was no Duelist, and that fact was about to be proven to him by the loss of his only star chip - the only way to help his sister. Jonouchi cursed himself for being so foolish - he would fail his sister due to his hubris, and he only had himself to blame.

From far away, he heard a female voice: Anzu, who was cheering for him with all the determination that he had lost.

It had caught Mai's attention. She pointed at Anzu, narrowing her eyes. "Trying to help him with those 'feelings,' is it? So useless." She turned back to Jonouchi, face smug. "Keep playing around with these little friends of yours, and you'll never become a true Duelist. The friends you have today are the enemies you'll meet tomorrow - that's what it means to be a Duelist. You should never trust anyone other than yourself."

"I'll make Jonouchi win with just one word!" cried out Yugi.

Mai looked shocked. Jonouchi wasn't sure what to think, and he froze up as his body went cold before hearing Yugi continue.

"Jonouchi, answer my riddle: What's 'something you can show, but you can't see'?"

Mai began laughing, slapping the table in disbelief. Jonouchi closed his eyes, attempting to cut out her cackling.

Think, he told himself.

He didn't know the answer. He'd always been a poor student, and now he was proving himself as even more of a failure. Jonouchi felt like he was drowning, down into the darkness to which he'd condemned his sister.

But he did notice something odd. The smell in the air. There was more than one, each very distinctive. At first, he thought maybe it was just Mai's perfume while his eyes were open, but now that they were closed, Jonouchi could tell. Each was different from the other, each one on her cards.

That was it! That was the trick!

"I get it!" gasped Jonouchi as his eyes flashed open widely, "I get your card trick!"

Mai's face lit up as her eyebrows shot up nearly into her blond bangs, her mouth wide-open as she gasped herself.

"You put different perfumes on your cards," called out Jonouchi, his face brightening as he felt himself become more confident after his discovery, "You can show the cards, but you can't see the smell! 'Something you can show but can't see'! I got it!"

Now Mai's face was turning white, her eyes wild as Jonouchi cackled himself.

"Haha, that weirded me out so much, I couldn't concentrate on the Duel. I hate occult shit, but now I know it's all a trick. I'm onto your game, you faker!"

Yugi winked. Jonouchi gave him a thumbs up. He could feel himself getting back into control, his mind settling as he looked back over the field. Mai appeared livid. Her face was a hot mess of fallen bangs and redness, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Oh, so you saw through my trick? Big deal! You still couldn't beat me in a hundred years!" she cried out, banging her fists onto the table before trying to fix her hair. "You're just a punk!'

Jonouchi didn't feel so alone now. Mai wasn't as good as he thought she was. Just another half-decent Duelist using schemes to get ahead. Definitely not even as good as Kaiba. Certainly not up to Yugi's calibier, who had seen through her immediately.

"I'll take you up on that hundred years thing," answered Jonouchi softly.

Mai didn't respond. Her eyes just widened marginally as she gaped.

"Alright, here I come," yelled Jonouchi. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his shirt tight and muscles tensing as he went to play a card from the top of his deck, "I play Baby Dragon in defense mode!"

The cute little reptilian appeared, a bundle of orange scales and small tee wings, coughing fire before it smirked at Mai.

Mai started laughing at it, pointing with her perfectly manicured fingernails as she continued taunting Jonouchi, but he didn't care. Let her laugh. He couldn't let any of the words get to him. The card was given by Yugi, and that made it powerful. Yugi wouldn't have given Jonouchi anything useless to add to his deck.

It didn't last for long, though. His heart fell when Mai played three Harpy Ladies on the field. They were powerful and equipped with powerful magic cards. Sure, he saw through her ploy, but it felt hopeless, trying to get ahead of her. Playing his Garoozis had done nothing but waste him several hundred life points, bringing him down to a mere hundred and twenty.

Turning his head sharply, he looked at Yugi. Yugi looked back, his face tense before his gaze became intensely focused. He touched his puzzle, the gold shining in the light, and for a moment, Jonouchi remembered a day back in their high school together, the puzzle's box forming in his mind.

"-Now I use it to store my most important cards," explained Yugi as he sat cross legged on the ground, opening the top as Jonouchi tried peeking inside.

"Let me give you this card, Jonouchi-kun, before I forget. You should take it on the island with you. It's the Time Wizard! It can do lots of things..."

Like turn Baby Dragon into an adult...

The Time Wizard!

And by the grace of whatever god who happened to be watching over him, it was the next card Jonouchi drew. He couldn't contain the smile that erupted across his face as he slapped the card down with glee. "Go, Time Wizard! Turn my Baby Dragon into Thousand Dragon with your Time Magic!"

The tiny dragon stretched and grew, becoming a larger, grisled version of itself. It puffed smoke from its large nostrils.

Mai scoffed as she commanded her monsters, "That senile dragon is no match for my Harpy Lady Sisters! Kill- What!?" Her expression turned incredulous as she took in Time Wizard's effects on her own monsters - they, too, had aged, but instead of growing more powerful, their strength had been leached away.

The first thought that came to Jonouchi's mind was oh shit. He knew about the Baby Dragon trick, but he'd had no idea that Time Wizard also affected his opponent's side of the field. Well, lucky him, then. Whatever beliefs Mai held about friendship, they were wrong.

"I'll show you what I'm capable of! Thousand Dragon, get them with your Thousand Nose Breath!"

Mai tossed up her cards as she sighed in defeat, her life points flashing at zero. Around him, Jonouchi's friends cheered loudly, Yugi giving him a thumbs up as Jonouchi thanked him in return.

But he couldn't leave it alone, just yet. Before departing the Duel Box, he turned back to Mai, who was still slumped in her chair, staring at the table in shock. "You know what, Kujaku Mai? I may not be what you call a 'true' Duelist yet, but let me tell you this: there's one thing that won't ever change, even after a hundred years."

She looked up at him, questioning.

"It's 'something you can show, but you can't see.' I'll let you figure that out on your own." He smiled at her before pocketing his star chips and rejoined his friends.

His first Duelist Kingdom victory. He was on his way.

They all walked together for what seemed like a very long time. Jonouchi's stomach growled, not having eaten since that morning. It was near noon, and feeling famished, Jonouchi sighed loudly before whining pitifully.

"We gotta find some food or I'm gonna die here," he declared dramatically. "Anzu, did you bring anything with you? Cook something!"

Anzu's face erupted into anger.

"You're the girl," Jonouchi continued loudly, "You should have thought to bring some food with you. It's your job to make us lunch!"

"Hello, sexist," Anzu seethed. "It's not my fault that foreigner is being cheap! You think he'd feed us if he brought us all the way here…"

Honda grinned before pulling out a book from his knapsack. "Don't worry guys, we won't starve," he declared, "I got a survival book right here! We can find plants to eat!"

Jonouchi frowned. "I'm not eating any damn wild mushrooms, you idiot."

He frowned, crossing his arms against his chest as he closed his eyes. Of course his friends wouldn't have anything to eat. It was easier putting the blame on them instead of pointing out his own lack of planning. If he was smart (which Jonouchi knew he wasn't), he would have brought some food along. Even if that meant just snacks, maybe a pot for boiling water...something.

Sniffing, there was a certain particular aroma in the air, like fire and fish... Fish. Food.

"It's coming from the ocean!" declared Jonouchi with a sudden surge of energy, "Let's go, guys!"

He ran towards said ocean, not waiting to see if his friends were following behind him. He saw it in the distance: a tiny fire with its plume of thin smoke, fish staked through and grilling around it. Jonouchi raced over, crouching behind a large rock before assessing that the coast was clear.

As Jonouchi carefully tip-toed over, Anzu hissed behind him, "Jonouchi! Hey, that's not our food! You can't just-"

"Game of life, Anzu!" Jonouchi crowed back, "Stealing star chips on this island to win is fine, so stealing food's gotta be okay, too!"

Anzu just rolled her eyes and kept in place, but Honda rushed forward, joining Jonouchi.

"Yeah, let's dig in!"

Just as Jonouchi and Honda had lifted the sizzling fish to their mouths for a bite, something that sounded like yelling stopped them midway. "You hear something?" Jonouchi asked his companions, only to receive shaking of heads in reply. The ocean crashed loudly beside them.

"Hey! Those're mine - put them down!" The tip of a spear was thrust uncomfortably close to Jonouchi's face. If he hadn't already been about to bite into his food, his jaw would've dropped from shock.

"What the fuck!" Jonouchi cried, nearly dropping said fish. He pointed the skewer at his attacker with equal venom. "Who the hell are you anyway, some castaway?"

"Who's a castaway!" the stranger replied. He was broad and deeply tanned, with long black hair pulled back into a low ponytail and a diving mask pulled up on his forehead. Shirtless, his body was littered with tiny scars all over. He held out his right fist, brandishing his glove. "My name's Kajiki Ryota, Duelist of the Sea!" Ryota looked around at all of them critically, his gaze lingering on Yugi just the slightest bit longer. "So you all are Duelists, too, eh?"

Walking over to the fire, Ryota sat down and examined his fish. "Hmm...these look about done." Jonouchi looked at him pitifully, and it wasn't long before Ryota's resolve crashed completely, his countenance changed entirely from their initial meeting. "Okay, fine - you guys can eat, too!" he sighed in exasperation.

Jonouchi and Honda whooped, immediately tossing out a quick thanks before digging right in, the others joining soon after.

They talked for sometime. Jonouchi was only half paying attention; his stomach was too busy growling as he bit into the mackerel without delay, not even caring about eating the skin. He just paid attention not to eat the bones, his attention waning as the stranger went on and on talking about the ocean. Everyone else seemed completely invested in listening, but Jonouchi didn't care. When hunger was in the way, the only thing that mattered was curbing his desire for more food.

Eventually they all finished. There wasn't anymore fish left and filled for the time being, Jonouchi gave a curt bow before gathering his things. "Okay, it's time to get going!" he announced loudly to everyone, "Thanks for the fish, man."

Yugi got up, too, walking to catch up to Jonouchi, but before he caught up, he let out a loud gasp.

Jonouchi turned around to find a huge spear only a few inches away from Yugi's foot.

"What the fuck, man!"

Ryota was insane. He challenged Yugi to a Duel. And Yugi, equally as insane, accepted.

It was an intense battle to watch. Jonouchi felt on the edge of his seat, unsure of what was going to happen. Yugi had been in tougher situations before, certainly, but still. It took everything in him not to chew on his nails as he watched Ryota take over the majority of the board, his ocean monsters lurking underneath the depths of his playing field.

He didn't want to lose faith in Yugi, though. Yugi was a gaming genius. Nothing could stop him. Jonouchi cheered him on, his voice matched by Honda, Ryou, and Anzu. His throat hurt, he called out so much, and somehow Yugi managed to get the edge, using Mystical Moon to dry up the field by changing the tide when his Giant Soldier of Stone broke it with his sword. Monsters left without cover and exposed to the air, Yugi fried them all with Accursed Dragon, and Ryota lost the game.

Jonouchi felt sweaty by the end. His palms were clammy, and he could feel beads of sweat on his brow.

"Way to go, Yugi!" He gave him a slap on the back once he was back outside. "I knew you could win!"

Ryota accepted his defeat graciously. Yugi appeared to have enjoyed the match. They gave each other a hard handshake, clasping into each other's grip before letting go and parting ways.

It felt good. Yugi had five star chips; Jonouchi, two. Although it wasn't a lot, it was more than he had before. Jonouchi felt proud of himself, having defeated Mai mostly on his own. His confidence was a little shaken, but he wouldn't let that get to him again. Not with his sister's health on the line. He had to be there for her, since no one else was going to save her sight except him.

She's counting on me, he thought to himself, I can't let her down.

They went walking for a while in happy silence, Jonouchi leading the way. After a while he zoned out before coming over to a small boat launch. There was a huge man standing there, grasping onto a kid who was struggling while a bunch more sat unhappily on a small rowboat.

"It's not fair!" screamed the boy, "My cards were stolen! I didn't lose any Duel!"

"Rules are rules, kid. No star chips, no competition."

Jonouchi jogged over, his eyebrows creasing as the rest of the group caught up. It was the goon from the boat before. The man worked for Pegasus.

"Hey man, that's not fair. The kid can't help it if his star chips were stolen," yelled out Jonouchi. "Won't you at least give him a chance to get them back?"

"Rules are rules. Butt out."

Jonouchi growled. If there was one thing he hated, it was being dismissed. "I can get them back for him," he challenged. "What did the kid look like?"

"He was wearing a red bandana," wheezed the boy under the arms of the security guard, his legs still swinging as he fought to get loose, "I couldn't really see his face."

"If I get them back, will you let the kid play?" asked Jonouchi.

"I'll think about it."

Well, that was as much as Jonouchi could hope for. Star chips were like a player's life. Without them, a duelist was as good as dead. Jonouchi could feel his determination swell in his gut before he made a fist and his face turned warm.

"I'll beat him up," Jonouchi declared, and he moved closer to the kid as he smirked despite himself, "and if I catch that kid, I'm keeping half your star chips!"

"What?!"

He took off running and laughing before the kid could argue.

They wandered for what seemed like hours, but the mysterious assailant was nowhere in sight. Frustration mounting, Jonouchi threw up his hands and scowled. "How hard is it to find one kid? It's not like this island is big!"

"Jonouchi, look over there," Yugi said softly, his gaze on the expanse of water below them. "That boat of Duelists...it's leaving."

"Fuck," Jonouchi intoned as he watched the tiny boat float away, "That creep broke his promise! Ugh, there go my star chips… Maybe we won't need to catch that thief after all, Yug'."

The sharp sound of rustling came from behind. Something small and covered emerged from the bushes, rolling out before popping up and yelling out for Yugi.

"Hey...bandana…" Jonouchi began before Yugi cut him off.

"Looks like the thief has business with me. Hey kid, you want to duel me?" His response was a silent nod. "Come with me, then. There's a Duel Box over there."

Jonouchi just gaped at the pair of them as they strode off and set up their Duel, the thief demanding that Yugi bet all of his star chips. It was strange, how Yugi was entertaining the kid when he clearly wasn't an invited Duelist, and it immediately became apparent that the kid had no experience at playing Duel Monsters, either. Stolen star chips, stolen cards. It was no surprise he couldn't play well.

Just as the thief's life points had dropped to half-way, he grabbed at the star chips upon the table and made to escape. Yugi grabbed his wrist before he could get away, tugging off the kid's beanie and bandana.

"I knew it! You're-"

Mokuba.

Kaiba's kid brother. What was he doing on the island?

* * *

Things will moving forward now in this story. Can't wait to hear from you guys on what you think! Thanks for reading.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the late update. School is rough and apathy is rougher! Please enjoy.

* * *

He could hardly pay attention to the lesson book that sat in front of him. The kanji kept blurring as his eyes lost focus and the only thing Jonouchi could note was the smell of expensive perfume that teased him from the classmate sitting in front of him.

He was tired. Waking up early to deliver papers sucked when he barely was able to get any sleep. Jonouchi had made a habit of staying up until his father came home, simply to lock the door at night. The man always forgot, never even making it a habit to bring his keys with him, and Jonouchi locking him out was out of the question - his father was just too damn _loud_. But after their first break-in, Jonouchi decided that there wasn't going to be a second if he could help it. The thieves had just barged right in, no lock to deter them, and Jonouchi had come home to half of their possessions missing.

So he stayed up and waited. It meant usually averaging four hours of sleep per night, but it was a small price to pay for security. But it also meant catching up on sleep at school, sending his grades into a plunge. Not that he'd ever been the best student, but at least he'd managed to get by.

Under normal circumstances, the smell would have been fine - nice, even. Clean, like freshly laundered sheets and the hint of something sweet and floral. Hell if Jonouchi could determine _which_ kind of flower, but it reminded him of spring mornings and sunshine.

But these weren't normal circumstances. All he wanted to do was _sleep_ , and his overtired body somehow kept all his senses set on maximum sensitivity. He could hear every scritch of a pencil across paper, every flip of textbook pages, even the soft skidding of rubber soles upon tile. It _bothered_ him. Jonouchi could tune out one sense with enough effort, but trying for any more than that was impossible. It's not like he could really leave his desk, though, and the last time he'd asked to go to the nurse's office, Chono-sensei had rebuffed his pleas without the barest upward glance at him.

In the back of his mind, Jonouchi knew he should relish this class period. He got to sit behind the most beautiful girl in school - so close that he could breathe in her perfume, the peak opportunity for unbridled observation - even though she didn't talk much to anyone. She'd instantly stolen his attention during their high school entrance ceremony: she stood above the others - literally - but appeared so elegant and strikingly attractive that Jonouchi hadn't been able to look away. He used to (still did, actually) steal glances at her every so often during their shared English class, but their teacher had gotten into the habit of calling on Jonouchi with regularity, making him have to pay attention so he didn't embarrass himself in class. Kaiba always sat in the back of the room, silent except when called on, sometimes disinterested in the lesson and sometimes watching the classroom with a peculiar intensity. The one time she'd caught him staring, Jonouchi had quickly looked away. To this day, he wasn't entirely sure if she had actually noticed or if he'd simply caught her during one of those peculiar moments.

He tried covering his head to block out the scent but abandoned that tactic, since it was too obvious that he was trying to sleep through his study period. Plugging his nose would be _too_ rude - it wasn't a horrible smell by any means, and even though Jonouchi was dumb, he wasn't dumb enough to potentially offend his current crush...who just happened to be one of the most powerful people in Domino.

The smell was sensual and warm.

Groaning loudly, Jonouchi gave up on sleep, stretching his arms and torso across the top of his desk. His arms were long enough that they could graze the back of Kaiba's chair, and he pushed forward just enough to do so just because he could. She didn't seem to notice, so Jonouchi just grinned to himself, so tired that he barely was able to keep a tiny, mischievous cackle to himself.

Kaiba suddenly turned around, dipping down into her backpack to place a bunch of books into one of the spaces before she turned her eyes up at Jonouchi's face. She looked curious, having probably heard the noise Jonouchi had made, and he could already feel his cheeks getting warm under her intensely blue eyes.

"You should see the nurse if it continues," she said neutrally before her lips drew into a slight smirk and she turned away shaking her head.

"Huh?" Jonouchi blinked stupidly. Did Kaiba actually _speak_ to him? He opened his mouth to ask if _what_ continues, but she'd already cracked open a new textbook, head bent over her desk studiously. Jonouchi could feel his cheeks burn absurdly hotter, and he whipped his head around conspiratorially, but no one had seemed to notice their exchange.

Since Death-T, Jonouchi had tried to do away with his feelings for Kaiba. And when that didn't work, he tried compartmentalizing them, storing them away in hope that he would soon forget. Get over her. But even through her illness, he caught himself stealing glances at her empty seat at school, even going so far as jumping the security wall to Kaiba Mansion. And when he'd finally mustered up the courage to pay her a proper visit at the hospital, she'd been moved, and that had been that.

He kept everything inside. Jonouchi was sure that Yugi at the very least wouldn't ridicule him for it, but he wasn't so sure he could say the same for the rest of his friends. The way he kept holding on despite her horrible treatment of him and his friends was uncomfortable and it made Jonouchi wonder if something was wrong with him in the head. But he wanted to know what had happened. What had made her act the way she did. If she had meant any of it - the good and the bad - at all.

And here now stood Kaiba's little brother, who looked so much like her yet not quite, and Jonouchi suddenly felt overwhelmed by it all - the worry and the anger and the curiosity and the _yearning_. It clenched at his gut, tightened up to his chest. He could feel his heart accelerating, and all Yugi had done was unmasked a child.

He needed to get control of himself.

"Mokuba, you little weasel," Jonouchi hollered, confronting him as the boy curled up with an ugly look on his face, not letting go of the star chips that were still in his hands, "Give back Yugi's star chips before I make you! I know you stole them, you brat!"

Mokuba scrambled away, his face twisting as his fists got tighter.

"I won't give them back," he screamed, kicking Jonouchi hard in the shin when he made a reach for him, "You can't make me!"

Jonouchi could feel his temper beginning to flare up. His face was burning. Where Mokuba had kicked him was starting to bruise, the flesh aching, and Jonouchi knew he'd be wearing it for a while. The kid kicked him like he was going at a soccer ball, and Jonouchi knew it wasn't a good idea to try grabbing at him again.

"Why, you little bastard," he growled under his breath. He started stalking toward him again, hoping to intimidate him out of his tantrum, but Anzu cut him off.

"Mokuba," spoke Anzu softly, her eyes warm as she turned them on the kid, "Are you still mad at Yugi?"

"Of course I am... It's all his fault."

Jonouchi rolled his eyes. All Yugi's fault... Kaiba was the one who tried to kill them. Kaiba was the one who got herself stuck in coma, who left him behind, and he was blaming Yugi for it? It wasn't Yugi's fault.

And what was the kid doing there in the first place? He wanted to know _that_ answer.

"It's Yugi's fault that my sister is the way she is," Mokuba explained, "She's still in a coma. The doctors don't know what's wrong with her, and I don't know what to do."

Everyone looked unsure of what to say. Yugi's face was impassive, his eyes intense as he stood there with his arms folded.

"But don't get the wrong idea, I'm not trying to get revenge on Yugi," Mokuba started, "You guys aren't as smart as you all think you are. It's bigger than all of you. I bet you guys don't even know why Pegasus started this tournament in the first place? He's trying to steal Kaiba Corporation!"

Yugi's eyes widened and Jonouchi felt his heart skip a beat. Steal Kaiba Corporation? Why on earth? Weren't those two _friends?_ Jonouchi had seen the news interviews before. They did business together. It didn't make any sense. Pegasus had always treated Kaiba like a surrogate daughter in public appearances.

"Pegasus created Duel Monsters and is a technological genius, but he couldn't do any of this without the help of my sister. She's the one who created the Duel Boxes you see all over the island. It was her engineering that created the Solid Vision graphics needed to play the game, not Pegasus. He couldn't do it without her...

"But then, that day she lost to Yugi, Pegasus betrayed her! The company lost its support and the stocks were falling after Nee-sama was hospitalized. He's been trying to throw a coup! Pegasus went behind all our backs to the top five investors, who own sixty percent of the company, and without my sister to stop them, they are trying to give the company up to him.

"But only on the condition that Pegasus can beat Yugi in a Duel. That's why he brought you here! You all know nothing!"

Jonouchi's brain felt like it was a spinning top. None of it made any sense. But the kid was so emphatic, it had to be true - Mokuba was on the verge of tears. And if he was creeping around on the island by himself, stealing star chips to get to Pegasus, then he must be desperate.

But all this, just to duel Yugi… It felt like Death-T all over again.

"Heheheh..."

Jonouchi cranked his head to look at Yugi, who was chuckling to himself. He didn't seem right. Something about him was off.

"Pegasus wants to beat me that badly, huh?"

That kind of attitude... didn't seem like Yugi at all. Where was the kind, considerate friend who bled his heart dry over others? That was just... almost callous.

"Don't laugh, Yugi. You can't beat Pegasus. No one can. Even my sister said he was invincible," said Mokuba in a somber voice, "He created the game. You can't beat the creator..."

He was quiet for a moment before his voice began to shriek again, "I thought if I stole your star chips, you'd be disqualified. Then Pegasus can't beat you! If he can't beat you, I can save KaibaCorp. The deal won't be good. Don't you get it?"

"So, that's why the Big Five brought you here?" asked Yugi.

"No," barked Mokuba loudly, "That's not why. It's because I have the key."

He grinned before continuing. "They barged into our house and were trying to steal company documents from Nee-sama's safe, but they need the key. She gave it to me for safe keeping, and they won't get it. Hehehe, I swallowed the key right in front of them, so they're screwed!"

Jonouchi didn't even know what to say to that. This kid... was just as insane as his sister.

But if what Mokuba said about this Pegasus guy was true... that even Kaiba believed he was unbeatable...then what did that mean for Yugi? Yugi had beaten Kaiba, but…

And if whoever the Big Five were were indeed trying to stage a coup... then Kaiba was in danger. But there was no way she'd just let her little brother run around by himself. As an older sibling, Jonouchi knew this. But Mokuba claimed she was still incapacitated. Just what the hell was happening at Kaiba Corporation?

He felt an overwhelming urge to speak up. Jonouchi could feel his throat catch, and the words were coming despite whatever anxiety he felt about his friends judging him, but before he could speak up, Mokuba continued.

"You guys might believe that my sister is rotten... because she made Death-T to take revenge on you," he said, choking up on tears as he tried wiping his face with the back of his hand, "But that isn't what she was about. My sister had a dream. She was going to make KaibaLand parks all around the world, so kids like us who don't have anything can have a place to go. To have fun. And I'll be dead before I let anyone destroy that dream, Pegasus, or you, or anyone else!"

Anzu walked forward, getting down to Mokuba's level before smiling. "I believe in you, Mokuba."

"You do?"

Mokuba appeared to be hesitant, unsure of what to do. His eyes kept flashing around, looking at everyone and then back at his hand before Yugi spoke up.

"Believe in me, Mokuba. I will defeat Pegasus."

He spoke so full of vigor. His voice was deep and Jonouchi could hardly recognize the Yugi who stood before him, tall and proud, confident. Everything about him was different; it sent chills down his spine. Jonouchi had always thought Yugi was the weak one, the one he needed to take care of and protect, but now, he found himself wanting to believe in him. Wanting to follow him, wherever he'd lead them.

Mokuba wavered. He trembled, his hands shaking, but he extended his grip out, about to let go of the chips in his hand before a big booming voice interrupted them all.

"Stop right there! Exchanging star chips outside of a duel is illegal. One more move and you'll be disqualified!"

It was Saruwatari, Pegasus's guard from before. Mokuba appeared panicked, and even Yugi looked a little anxious. Jonouchi wasn't sure what to do. He took a step forward, in case he needed to get involved.

"There you are, Mokuba," Saruwatari continued, turning his attention to the kid, who tried to run behind Yugi unsuccessfully before getting grabbed by the arm, "Thought you could lead me on a wild goose chase, huh?"

Mokuba screamed and fought, all but biting the man's hand to make him let go. Jonouchi could feel his stomach twist around in his gut. He didn't want to blow his chances in the competition, but he couldn't comfortably stand there and watch a minor get kidnapped before his eyes, either.

"You gotta give those star chips back," Jonouchi demanded as he scrambled to think of something to say, "Two of them belong to him!"

"Well that's too bad," laughed Saruwatari, "You can only duel to get star chips. You all know the rules."

"Fine," said Yugi in a low voice. His face was dark, his bangs hiding his eyes before he lifted his head and his violet eyes shone, making Jonouchi feel chilled as a smirk appeared on his face. "Then let's duel."

"Sorry, but I don't play games," snickered Saruwatari as he tried dragging Mokuba closer to his side, "but I have a challenger to play in my stead. Someone you are very familiar with. Over there!"

He pointed far out to a close by Duel Box, where a slim figure in the shadow sat in the corner, appearing to be waiting for a challenger.

"That's who you must play to get your star chips back!" boomed Saruwatari as his voice turned into a hearty laugh, yanking Mokuba around the wrist before grinning at Yugi's confused face.

Everyone approached the Duel Box with trepidation, the shadows receding from the mysterious opponent with every step. The challenger sat unmoving, her face turned down, but she looked up as they all arrived.

Jonouchi would have recognized those eyes anywhere. Except something was off about them - they seemed vacant, like the lights had been shut off. It looked like Kaiba, but it couldn't be her. What happened? Did Saruwatari do something to her?

Or maybe Pegasus. Pegasus hadn't caught Kaiba, had he? What did he do to her?

"Meet your opponent, Yugi!" roared Saruwatari, "Kaiba Seto, back from the grave. Pegasus brought back her corpse just for you to duel."

There was a collective gasp as Saruwatari continued to laugh, his grip on Mokuba becoming tighter as the child struggled within his massive arms. "I don't think you will need any introductions. Although I must say, Yugi, that you won't stand a ghost of a chance against your opponent, since she _is_ a ghost."

"I'm not lying," Saruwatari said against Mokuba's venomous tirade. "We have witnesses who saw Kaiba meet her doom in the very same way her predecessor took his. She couldn't handle losing the company because of losing during that fateful duel. Now all that's left of her is a ghost out for revenge," his eyes flashed maliciously, "against _you_ , Yugi."

It couldn't be true. Kaiba, taking her life, over something like that? Jonouchi hadn't even known she'd woken up, and from Mokuba's screams, it sounded like he didn't, either. Even if it _was_ true, such drastic measures... she could always get the company back. Kaiba was a fighter. It didn't sound like her at all…

So who was this girl in front of them?

The entire idea of some zombie look-a-like standing up there propped by Pegasus for Yugi to fight was beyond creepy. Jonouchi felt positively spooked and immediately wanted to get to the bottom of what really had happened to Kaiba, but trying to call out Saruwatari as a liar wouldn't get them anywhere.

It still left a sinking, uncomfortable feeling in his chest though, each time Jonouchi's eyes traced over the "Kaiba" look-a-like who was grinning over them all from just a few feet away.

Yugi walked over confidently to the box, not blinking before going inside. The woman who sat before him just smiled, her arms folded across her chest, one leg crossed over the other.

"Hello, Yugi."

Everything about her looked the same except for her eyes. Her eyes weren't right. Even though Kaiba always appeared withdrawn and a little melancholy during class when Jonouchi used to sneak peeks at her, there was still a light behind them. Whenever she caught his gaze, they twinkled a little before Jonouchi would shy away in embarrassment.

Now, they looked completely empty. The color was right, but nothing else about them was the same.

"That's not her, Yugi" yelled out Jonouchi, "don't let that fake psych you out!"

Yugi looked over and grinned at Jonouchi before taking his own seat.

"Hello," Yugi greeted as he began cutting his deck, also crossing his legs before fighting back a smile, "although I can't call you Kaiba. You might look like her, but you certainly are not _the real_ Kaiba I've faced before."

"Is that so?" The woman before him just smirked. "I've come back from hell just to see you. And behold, I have my deck."

She drew the top card off her deck before flipping it to reveal a Blue Eyes-White Dragon. There was no way she was faking Kaiba's deck.

"Am I still not the original?"

Yugi revealed his own smirk, putting his deck in place as he waited patiently for his opponent to be ready. "No. You are not."

"You'll see," Kaiba announced, sing-song. "I'll bet three star chips."

"Fine. I'm all-in, then."

And so the Duel began. Jonouchi watched from the sidelines, nervous and detached. There was no way in hell this was Kaiba. But if Yugi lost, that meant it all was over. And although he wanted to believe in his friend, how could he win against the Blue-Eyes White Dragon without Exodia?

Monsters danced across the tabletop, Yugi's Dark Magician barely avoiding the burst streams from the imposter's dragon. Just when Jonouchi thought Yugi had the imposter pinned, one Blue-Eyes down, another surged forth and incinerated Yugi's wizard, dropping him to a mere 500 life points.

With only one weak monster left on his side of the field and another Blue-Eyes lurking within the imposter's deck, how could Yugi possibly win? Even Yugi himself seemed to waver against that reality, and Jonouchi felt himself break out in a cold sweat. It was over. Jonouchi didn't want to consider it, but maybe Saruwatari was telling the truth and Kaiba really was gone.

This was the end of the road for them. For Yugi's grandfather, for Jonouchi's sister… Had they come all this way, just to fail before even getting to the castle doors?

But right as the imposter commanded the final blow, the summoned Blue-Eyes White Dragon remained still. If refused to move, simply hovering in place.

"I said attack!" screamed the ghost duelist, her eyes wild as she slammed her fists onto the table. "You useless monster! You will obey my commands!"

The dragon continued to disregard her orders. And then, strangely, it began to dissolve, peeling away into ribbons of light before vanishing like smoke.

Jonouchi had never even seen something like that happen before. Did the cards take a life of their own? Had Blue-Eyes White Dragon just... No, cards couldn't just quit duels like that. It couldn't be possible. They were just playing a game.

The fake Kaiba became visibly unhinged as she watched her monster fade away, her eyes filling with darkness as her face twisted with fury. Jonouchi watched her transformation, unable to speak, but he knew in that instant that his gut had been right. She wasn't Kaiba. Even at Kaiba's worst, he'd never seen her like that. She'd never insult her own deck.

"And now we can finally see your true face," spoke Yugi as he sat there with a smug expression planted over his mouth, "for now you and I both know, along with everyone else around us, that you are not the real Kaiba Seto."

"Maybe not completely, but I'm a part of her," smiled the fiend, "isn't that enough?"

Her face was pale and sweaty and her eyes looked misshapen. Hair stuck out wildly and her shape was no longer pleasing to look at. Everything that could be wrong with her, was. The woman was a shadow of Kaiba, if she could even be called that. The resemblance was haunting, but not quite alike to be a twin any longer.

"Then Kaiba is alive?" questioned Yugi confidently.

"Maybe, maybe not. Not for long, anyway."

Yugi narrowed his eyes. "You're a false master. That's why Kaiba's dragons won't listen to you. Her heart's still in that deck." He adjusted the cards in his hand. "Let's continue."

The Duel went on. Yugi set up a powerful line of defense, but Jonouchi found himself worrying over the fake-Kaiba's face-down cards. The Blue-Eyes had spared Yugi one time, but would he be so fortunate again?

And then it appeared: the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon in all its glory. Yugi managed to force the imposter to nullify its attack through a series of trap cards, and then there were two Blue-Eyes on the field, one on either side. Combined with Yugi's Mystical Elf, Yugi's dragon slew the other, and the fake was defeated. It had all happened so fast that Jonouchi had forgotten to breathe, and he sucked in a deep breath at the end, feeling light-headed.

He was still getting his wits about him, so all Jonouchi had heard was the scream. Yugi had lunged forward, grabbing the stack of cards out of the imposter's hands, and she was tearing at her face, long nails digging into and dragging across cheeks. And then the most peculiar thing happened: Yugi pointed at her, and she instantly went limp, lifeless. Just like the dragon before her, she seemed to disintegrate, turning into dust in the wind.

So then, where was the real Kaiba?

* * *

There wasn't much to do besides hide in the woods once Kaiba got herself together. Her deck was still up in the house, out of reach. Guards stalked the grounds all over, and she wasn't sure if they thought she was dead or not. It was better to be safe than sorry, and by herself, Kaiba knew she was going to be facing an uphill battle, especially if she was found by someone.

Still, she'd have to try and do something.

It didn't help that the house was so far away from any city; the entire property was surrounded by woods. Kaiba had no idea where Mokuba was even at, it was unlikely that he'd be at Kaiba Mansion or Kaiba Corporation. The only person Kaiba trusted to care for Mokuba was Isono, but who knew if he even had the capabilities to protect him when the guards had defected.

Kaiba was on her own.

It wasn't anything she hadn't already been through before, though.

At least she had her Duel Disk prototypes. Safely nestled in her briefcase, Kaiba glanced down at the metal, sighing before looking back up towards the house. If Pegasus had gotten ahold of them, who knew where she'd be. The technology was brand-new, and Kaiba prided herself in having created it on her own. Industrial Illusions lacked the creativity and know-how to make something so advanced, and while Pegasus himself was quite intelligent, he was not a genius. Not like Kaiba was.

She smirked before crossing her arms, watching as several guards got into a black car and drove off from the front gate. Hiding amongst the trees, she thanked herself for choosing the most drab clothes from her closet: a long black and grey-mottled trench coat and the plain black pants and dress shirt combo she wore when she was trying to remain inconspicuous. In the woods, it would keep her relatively undetectable. Usually Kaiba liked dressing the part, but at that moment in time, fashion wasn't her main priority.

It occurred to her that she'd need to find a way to confront Pegasus. Duelist Kingdom was in the Pacific Ocean, at least a day's trip away from mainland Japan by boat. Kaiba could take a helicopter there on her own; she knew how to fly military-grade vehicles thanks to the training given by the old staff back when Kaiba Corporation was still a weapons developer.

There was a helipad on the property, at least a quarter of a mile away from the house. Setting her mind to the task, Kaiba reached down and snatched her briefcase. It would take at least all night to get to the islands off Yokohama, to reach where Pegasus' castle was located.

And Mokuba.

He had to be suffering without her.

The walk wasn't that long, but it was rough cutting through the underbrush of the woods and having to navigate over creeks and streams. Kaiba grumbled all through it, not a lover of getting close to nature. There was something serene about the wilderness, but she was perfectly comfortable staying out of it and watching from a distance. Crawling through the woods, cutting up her face with tree branches, and getting shit in her hair were the last things she expected to do, but so was jumping out of a window...and getting shot at.

Once she reached the helipad, Kaiba typed in her security code to access, but as predicted, it was locked.

"Cute."

As if someone of her technical skills couldn't just hack into the system. She was about to begin, taking off the cover of the typing pad when she heard men's voices getting closer. There wasn't really anywhere to run but back into the woods, and needing to get inside to operate the helicopter, Kaiba decided to take a chance. What was the worst they could do? Try shooting at her again?

There were two men, one of them dressed like a guard. She kept her face neutral, not allowing the rapid beating of her heart betray her to the men, and they both stared at each other unblinkingly before Kaiba spoke first.

"I need a ride to Duelist Kingdom."

Both men stared for a second, their faces passive before the guard bowed just slightly. "Of course Kaiba-sama," he answered, "we'll be ready to leave the ground in just a few minutes."

"We need to be there by nightfall."

The man dressed like a driver unlocked the security door, going into the hangar bay and preparing the equipment for operation as the guard watched Kaiba watch him.

It wasn't likely that the men were on her side. She'd have to play it cool to get what she needed out of them, until they eventually turned on her. No doubt, at least the guard would have a gun on him. That would make things trickier, but not impossible. Isono had taught her how to deal with those kinds of situations.

Kaiba smiled to herself. Mokuba wouldn't have to wait long. Nothing on earth would stop her from getting to him, even if that meant killing the two men herself to reach him.

It wasn't something she hadn't done before...


	11. Chapter 11

The kid was gone.

Everyone's attention had been so preoccupied by the Duel and the shock of watching the fake Kaiba disappear right in front of their eyes that no one had noticed when Pegasus's creep guard had managed to slink away. And undoubtedly, Mokuba with him.

Jonouchi's conscience burned. Mokuba had been defenseless, and they _knew_ he was defenseless, and still they had failed to protect him. He had sought them out in desperation, and they had promised to help him, but what good had they really been? Mokuba was now in the hands of the people he'd fought so hard to escape, and all because for one fool moment, every one of them had taken their eyes off him. _Abandoned_ him.

 _God_ , Jonouchi felt so useless.

All they could do now was march onward. Maybe when they made their way to the castle and gained an audience with Pegasus, they would be able to bargain in favor of the Kaiba siblings in addition to Yugi's grandfather. Yugi was more than halfway there, now - he'd doubled his star chips by dueling the imposter, and had only four left to win. Looking down at his own star chips, at his nearly-empty glove, Jonouchi felt more than a little self-hatred well up inside him. What use was he if this was the best he could do? He'd have to do multiple times better if he wanted to really help anyone. He needed to win more duels if he wanted to get that money for Shizuka.

It didn't really help that everyone ran for the hills when they saw Yugi's face. It seemed that his reputation preceded him, and like cowards, no one would risk their standing to take him on. And Jonouchi, always standing next to Yugi, was left with no prospects for competition, either. What good did they think it would do to run? If they weren't good enough to beat Yugi, they were going to lose to him eventually no matter what. Jonouchi had a hell of a lot more riding on getting first place than the other little shits that had been invited, but he was still willing to risk losing to Yugi. Humiliating as that would be.

He wanted to rip his hair out, or at least chase after the wimps and force them to duel. How else would he get anything done on this godforsaken island?

Jonouchi snapped from his thoughts when he heard a laugh from beyond a nearby thicket of trees.. It was high-pitched, and would have been obnoxiously grating if not for the speaker's strength of tone... and it was very familiar.

"Jonouchi, we meet again! What a grand coincidence!" Kujaku Mai tittered as she came into view, blocking their path as she stepped into the clearing.

"You again?" Jonouchi sighed. This was not the competition he was looking for.

Ignoring his obvious attitude, Mai turned her eyes onYugi and smiled coyly.

"Isn't it bothersome to always have these dolts following you?" She asked with the tone and expression of a seasoned hunter laying a didn't rise to the bait, but his darkened eyes narrowed. Mai seemed to get the hint and turned her attention back to Jonouchi.

"I went easy on you last time. You won't get a repeat of that - my man servant here will make sure of it!"

Jonouchi gaped as Mai introduced her "servant" with a flourish. He was short, perhaps even as tiny as Yugi, with two-toned hair covered with a beanie and a demeanor that was drenched in attitude. Jonouchi remembered meeting him on the boat ride over to Duelist Kingdom and instantly hadn't liked him, although he didn't give off the same freaky vibes as Haga had.

Still, Jonouchi had to wonder what was up with Mai, a grown ass woman, running around the island enlisting teenage boys to do her bidding...

He accepted the duel though. What else could he do? Jonouchi's pride wouldn't allow him to back down with his tail tucked between his legs. Yugi had just bet it all and won, and Jonouchi was man enough that he could do the same. Why else had he come there? If he was just going to skulk around the island and act all cautious, he'd get nowhere. His sister's sight was worth the risk.

"Yugi," Jonouchi addressed, turning to his best friend, "Can I ask you a favor?" He received a nod in return. "I don't want you to help me during this Duel."

All around him, he heard gasps and comments of disparaging disbelief. He ignored them.

"I know it's crazy. I'm going to bet both of my star chips, so it's all over if I blow this... and that means I won't be able to help Shizuka... but I want to win by myself."

Yugi returned his small smile, swaying a little in place briefly before turning to the rest of the group.

"You guys! We need to give Jonouchi-kun our support!"

It was still weird, seeing the "switch." Sometimes Yugi and the other side of him felt like night and day, but they were still the same. Jonouchi couldn't quite wrap his brain around it yet, but he appreciated Yugi reverting back to himself all the same. More than his words, it was active proof that he acknowledged and accepted Jonouchi's wishes.

Going up against the runner-up to the National Champion was admittedly nerve-wracking. But Yugi had _beaten_ the National Champion right out of the gates, and with Yugi in his corner, Jonouchi believed that he _had_ to have a fighting chance.

He was already at a disadvantage: their terrain gave Ryuzaki an automatic boost. But maybe Jonouchi wasn't so unlucky - he had already pulled the combo that had defeated Mai: Baby Dragon and Time Wizard.

But Baby Dragon was immediately crushed during the start of their duel. Ryuzaki's dinosaurs were formidable, as expected, and Ryuzaki berated him for making thoughtless moves.

Nothing seemed to stick. It wasn't too long before Jonouchi's life points had dropped almost halfway. Looking at Yugi's worried expression, he felt like such a failure. For a moment, he felt like he'd lost hope completely. Was he really so useless that he performed this badly without other people holding his hand?

But there was also trust and determination in Yugi's eyes, and when Jonouchi saw it, he was ashamed of himself for even thinking about giving up. He needed to snap out of it. Descending into self-hatred in the middle of the duel wouldn't do him any good, and he had to learn not to rely on Yugi. No, he needed to find his own power. Somewhere within his hand, there was a winning strategy.

More of his monsters were sent to the graveyard. Jonouchi was holding on by the skin of his teeth.

"Flame Swordsman!"

 _Finally_ , he'd been able to put a dent into Ryuzaki's life points.

"That was just a fluke!" Mai taunted nastily.

Jonouchi ignored her. He'd prove her wrong. Flame Swordsman cut through a volley of Ryuzaki's other dinosaurs, and soon their life points were on equal footing.

Everything changed when Ryuzaki summoned his legendary Red-Eyes Black Dragon. It was the first time Jonouchi saw it in the flesh, and it sent a shiver down his spine. It was terrifying, like a nightmare condensed into shiny black scales and glowing crimson eyes; it was both glorious and horrific, its threatening visage brought to life more than amply by the holograms. But despite his racing heart, and despite his visible wincing as the dragon consumed his warrior in an inferno, Jonouchi felt drawn to the card that was obliterating him. He couldn't look away.

He was down to 65 life points.

With a monster like that on the field, Jonouchi was sure he was a goner. He had nothing left in his hand, nothing in his deck that could defeat a monster as powerful as that.

Ryuzaki's sharp voice cut through his clouded thoughts. "Jonouchi! Let's make a bet. This is a trading card game, after all, so how about the winner gets one of the loser's cards. So if I win, I want your Time Wizard!"

His Time Wizard…? Oh yeah. He'd seen it so long ago, he'd forgotten about it. But he had nothing to use it on…

"You can have my Red-Eyes Black Dragon if I lose," Ryuzaki continued. "It's worth over a hundred thousand yen, so not a bad deal, huh?"

 _A hundred fucking thousand?!_ Holy shit. If Ryuzaki was willing to bet something that expensive, then Time Wizard must really be valuable. But more than monetary worth, Time Wizard was valuable because his best friend had given it to him. Jonouchi had nothing left but that card, and he chose to bet it all on it.

"Fine! You have yourself a deal, Ryuzaki!"

Straightening up in his seat, eyes squarely planted on Ryuzaki's, Jonouchi flipped his face-down card.

"I play Time Wizard! Go, Time Roulette!"

Mai and Ryuzaki looked like their eyes were about to pop forth from their skulls. Jonouchi felt a bit like a madman throwing everything he had on a wheel of chance, but what else did he have to lose? After one more turn, the outcome would have been clear. With Time Roulette, he would either take himself down here and now, or claw his way out of the grave and put Ryuzaki there instead.

 _Please, please, please_.

The arrow pointed, with perfect precision, to the north.

"Success!" Jonocuhi nearly jumped out of his seat from excitment, slamming a hand against the playing table, "Go, Time Magic!"

Ryuzaki's dinosaurs melted in a time lapse, leaving behind the eerie sight of a mass grave, filled with the crumbling and brittle bones of fallen creatures. Even mighty Red-Eyes eventually died, growing old and immobile before releasing a cry of defeat with its final breath.

And on Jonouchi's side of the field, one remaining monster still stood guard.

Outside the box, wild cheering 'd _won_. Mai was cheering. Anzu shot her a sharp look, and Mai laughed awkwardly, the group chattered excitedly. Ryuzaki relinquished both his star chips and his Red-Eyes Black Dragon to Jonouchi, the former looking far from pleased over the exchange.

It was an awe-inspiring monster, and a gorgeous card. Jonouchi could feel his luck turning around once he held it in his hands.

* * *

It was getting dark, and no one had eaten anything since noon. Jonouchi sat by a fire with his friends, whining to himself as Honda rolled his eyes.

"I'm hungry," he wailed, "I'll eat anything at this point."

The rest ignored him.

"It's so quiet and dark outside," mentioned Yugi to Ryou, "I haven't seen any Duelists in a while."

"Yeah, that's strange," Honda added, turning his attention over to his less obnoxious friends, "I wonder what's going on right now."

"No one wants to duel in the dark," snarked Jonouchi. He patted his stomach, turning his eyes towards the sky longingly. "Besides, that'd just make a person more hungry... ARGH, I WANT FOOD, NOT STAR CHIPS!"

He yelled at the sky, balling his fists as Yugi just sighed. "I wish they were potato chips..."

Becoming anxious, Jonouchi started looking around, getting up from his place and looking around the trees before he found a cluster of mushrooms near the base of a trunk. Scrunching his face up, Jonouchi pondered the pros and cons of eating them, unsure if they were poisonous or not. He didn't know anything about wild plants, let alone which ones were safe to eat, but his stomach was sharp and wouldn't stop grumbling, and always the dramatic one, he didn't care anymore about anything but hunger.

"A mushroom!" He hollered, alerting everyone of his intentions, "I'm going to eat it!"

Honda, Yugi, and Ryou immediately lunged at him, trying to yank him away as Jonouchi pawed at the fungi in front of him.

"My, you all are sure energetic," came a snicker from behind. Jonouchi whipped his head around and instantly regretted it.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here!?" he yelled, crushing the mushroom in his fist.

Mai ignored his outrage and bit into the chocolate bar in her hand, giving him a pointed look.

"I didn't take you for the hunter-gatherer type. This chocolate bar is sure good, though. Say, I'll trade it to you for your star chips." She winked and took another bite.

"Like hell!" Jonouchi hollered. "These star chips are my life!"

" _Relax_ ," Mai giggled at Jonouchi's indignation. "Stop with the wild animal looks. Let's just call a truce for tonight, hmm? It can be so tiring, being a Duelist…" She hauled her knapsack around and knelt on the grass, dumping its contents out. Several candy bars, instant food mixes, canned meats, a first aid kit, and other processed foods littered the floor. "I have all sorts of things," she continued, "If you guys get a fire going, we can even cook something!"

"Wow, you brought all of this?" Anzu marveled as a chorus of "ooh"s and "ahh"s rang.

Mai seemed satisfied at their appreciation. "Yup. It's not like there are a lot of people out here whom you can trust, so I came prepared." She turned her attention towards the others. "Okay boys, you are in charge of cooking. And fetch some water, while you're at it!"

Ryou instantly volunteered for the job, and the others quickly fell into line, all except for Jonouchi.

"Why the fuck do we have to take orders from this chick?" he grumbled, "She brought it all, so she should do it. Why do the men gotta always be doing the work?"

"Because, dimwit," Honda began, "We're getting free food outta it. You know, the shit we forgot to bring? Get your ass over here and help me."

"Ugh, _fiiine_ ," Jonouchi lamented loudly, his face twisted up as though he'd smelled something rotten. He didn't really trust Mai, but his stomach overrode his better judgment at the moment. And after a long day, the last thing he really wanted to do was be an errand boy, but begrudgingly he admitted that Honda was right.

He got to work, feeling stupid as he followed Honda towards a nearby water pump. Honda put the bucket under the nozzle and Jonouchi got the pump going, his face twisting each time he jerked it up and down.

It was a little humiliating. His father would have laughed at him if he was there, doing the job of a housewife because he foolishly forgot to take a ration of food with him before getting on the ship to Duelist Kingdom. Jonouchi had thought there would be meals there, but apparently Pegasus was cheap. He couldn't believe he'd gotten himself into such a stupid situation.

Didn't girls usually like doing that kind of shit, anyways? What kind of woman was Mai, dumping the chores on the likes of them? Ryou seemed excited over it, but he'd always been soft, like Yugi. Of course they'd have no problem going along with it, and while Jonouchi wasn't going to tease them anymore, he didn't exactly want to be like them, either.

Once the water was pumped, Jonouchi left Honda to carry it. They got back to the fire and put it to boil, waiting until it was hot before using it to make curry with the instant blocks Mai had brought with her. There were also vegetables, which Yugi forced into Jonouchi's hand. Together, they all started cutting and trimming the food while the girls disappeared.

"Where's Anzu?" asked Jonouchi. "She should be helping, too."

"Nowhere your teenage eyes need to be wandering," Mai cut in as she returned to sit by the fire. "Wow," she said as she observed their handiwork, "Maybe there's hope for you boys, yet. I'm impressed."

Jonouchi just stuck out his tongue before returning to his work. He didn't even know what he was doing. Hell if he knew how to cook. When there was money, he wasted it on take-out or 7/11. Sometimes Anzu would let him have dinner at her house, or Yugi. Honda, too. When Jonouchi's mother had been around, she did the majority of the housework and his father always expected it done without so much as a thank you. It didn't seem like a big deal, since she didn't even have a job, but now Jonouchi kind of wished he would have paid her a bit more attention to what she was doing.

"This is so boring," he complained, "How can you two like doing this?"

"I'm used to cooking for myself," Ryou replied as he stirred the thick sauce.

"And Jii-chan's arthritis makes it hard for him to hold a knife, so I end up helping Kaa-san a lot," Yugi added as he spun the potato in his hand against his knife edge.

Jonouchi just looked at both of them blankly before turning back to his work. He could feel his irritation rising, which was brought in part by Mai's constant badgering. She was so bossy and Jonouchi wanted to say something, but he also wanted to eat, too.

She was never going to get a husband acting like that.

Grumbling, he chopped up the onions before Ryou took them and once it was all done, he ate silently as everyone else chatted eagerly. No one seemed to be paying him much attention anyway, and so Jonouchi concentrated on filling his belly, ladeling a large refill into his bowl. He was brought back into the present when Mai abruptly stood up.

"Well, it's been fun, but in the morning, we're back to being enemies," she announced, dusting off her shins. "Thanks for making the food. Anzu, you can bunk in my tent with me, if you'd like. You never know what could happen with _these_ guys around." She gave each of them a sly smile, lingering on Jonouchi the longest, before strutting away.

"What the hell was that about," Jonouchi grumbled between clenched teeth. "Whatta bitch."

He could feel his temper flaring, but he tried to get a handle on it. Mai was something else. Older than all the rest of them, and bossy and rude... But also glamorous and sexy. Jonouchi didn't mind sneaking glances at her. She had a tight corset that made it look like her tits were about to fall out, but she had such a mouth and would snap at him whenever she was given the chance. He didn't know why she was picking on _him_ the most, and it was so difficult to just ignore it.

Thankfully, she disappeared with Anzu. They could have their gal-pal time, Jonouchi didn't care. He was a man. Sleeping under the stars was what tough guys did, and he didn't care about being exposed in the wilderness. The bugs weren't that bad, and he had his friends surrounding him, anyways.

"Do you guys even like that chick," asked Jonouchi as he turned to Honda, who was settling right next to him on the grass.

"Eh, I guess she's not all that bad," Honda replied as he folded his arms underneath his head. "I mean, she _did_ share her food with us, and she didn't have to."

"I think she's interesting," Yugi piped in. "She seems like someone who has a lot of stories to tell. I wouldn't mind hearing them."

Jonouchi snorted at that. "You wouldn't mind it because she's a babe."

Yugi's face turned red, his neck and ears matching as he waved his hands around. "She's pretty, but I'm not interested in Mai like that, Jonouchi. Not everything is about sex, you know. I just think she's a cool person."

Honda chuckled. "I'm not into women like her, but I still think she's alright."

Ryou wasn't paying any of them much attention, just stroking at his ring pendant before he laid down to go to sleep.

"You all are bunch of dupes," snorted Jonouchi, "And you'd totally get with Mai if you had a chance, Honda. Don't even pretend like you wouldn't be interested."

"Pshh, she's way too high-maintenance for me," Honda said airily. "Sure, she's hot, but she ain't no Miho."

"She just has a very strong personality," Yugi grinned, "Not unlike someone else I happen to know."

Jonouchi rolled his eyes. Miho, she was so boring... And Mai, too loud and sassy... Sure, she was easy to look at, but it was apparent that she put a lot of effort into how she looked and dressed. More than Jonouchi would want to stand around and deal with on a regular basis. He was a simple guy. All that extra shit was unnecessary. He'd prefer someone like Anzu over all the fuss Mai would go through just trying to dressed each day...

"She's annoying," corrected Jonouchi as he sighed and placed his head underneath his arms, "And you can have your silly Miho, Honda. No one else wants a girl who constantly refers to herself in the third person..."

"Whatever, man," Honda said as he closed his eyes, "She's just polite, unlike you. Be a hater all you want.

"I think you like her."

"What?" Jonouchi scrunched up his face, turning to look at Honda before shaking his head. "I might have crushed over some girls back at school, but Miho definitely wasn't one of them. Not by a long shot."

Honda could be such an idiot. Jonouchi could definitely see himself with Anzu long before going after the likes of Miho. It didn't seem likely that Anzu would be interested, but she was cute and had a killer figure and had always been sweet on him. She also had a spunky personality, and it was fun to rile her up sometimes just to see her get all passionate and spirited... until she would hit Jonouchi upside the head, but that was whatever.

"I'm not interested, pal," mumbled Jonouchi as he sighed again, "You can have her."

"Not Miho," Honda laughed, "That Kujaku woman. She's practically the female version of you."

"Huh? I don't know what you're even talking about."

"You're both blond, overly theatrical, and loud as fuck," Honda related, "But overall, you're still alright."

"Whatever."

Maybe Honda was right, but Jonouchi wasn't going to entertain that thought while he was tired. Mai was obnoxious. He wasn't going to entertain thoughts of friendship with her after being used like some servant by her- let alone desire a relationship- even if she was a hot chick. There were plenty of hot chicks his own age back in Domino High School, anyways, and Jonouchi highly doubted he had chances with any of them.

Besides, there was only one he really ever thought hard about...

He didn't want to think about her now, though. It was hard not to. Especially when her younger brother had been carted off that afternoon to god-knows-where after that horrible Duel with the fake-her.

God, he didn't even want to think her name…

A hundred questions tumbled him his brain. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she still even alive? Had she really woken up? Why had she been gone so long? Why did he even care so much?

It was a stupid crush. Even if she were to waltz right by him tomorrow, it probably wouldn't amount to anything. It wouldn't _change_ anything. But still, he has so many questions.

With his friends quiet around him, the deep inky expanse of a star-filled sky above him, and the waves of chirping insects filling his ears, Jonouchi nodded off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

At the edge of consciousness, he heard voices. And they were so fucking _loud_.

Scrunching his face up in displeasure, Jonouchi threw his arms over his head to try blocking out the sounds. But they were so insistent, and growing louder by the minute, that he finally threw his arms back down and blinked his eyes open in defeat.

It was still pitch black outside; Jonouchi couldn't tell how long he'd been sleeping. Rising up from the grass on his elbows, he noticed Honda and Ryou also beginning to stir. The voices had quieted down some, but they were still chatting away - they sounded familiar.

"What the hell," Honda groaned as he ran a palm down his face, "I thought everyone was supposed to be sleeping."

"Got me," Jonouchi replied, "I guess we should check it out."

Just down the pathway, Jonouchi could make out Yugi and Mai arguing, then Mai walking off while Anzu stood back with a concerned expression.

"Hey, Kujaku!" Jonouchi yelled across the distance, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around warily.

"You guys!" Anzu exclaimed, a smile breaking her worry.

Jonouchi ran a hand through his tangled hair, catching a stray leaf, and scratched at the back of his neck. "You woke me up from your loud talking," he yawned, scanning the faces of the three perpetrators. He'd only been able to make out bits of their conversation - something about star chips and their rightful ownership.

Mai returned an easy smile, placing a hand on her hip. "You all really are like little ducks, following each other around."

Honda yawned before turning to Ryou, "Hey, what time is it, anyway?"

"A little bit before eleven," Ryou sighed as he checked his watch. "I'm so tired."

"Before eleven, huh? You know what that means, Mai?" smiled Honda, "You're still our friend."

Mai was visibly taken aback, her eyes growing wide as Yugi began to speak.

"Mai, Duelists fight fair. I don't acknowledge someone like that player killer. So these star chips are yours - they always have been. So take them, and let's see who's the strongest Duelist!" He extended his hand, palm-up, the tiny points of the stars glinting in the low moonlight.

"Yeah, Mai," added Anzu in a soft voice, her face smiling lightly, "Isn't it your dream to duel against Yugi?"

"Yes, but..."

Mai hesitated. She looked off towards the ground, as if distracted by something. Usually she was so loud and bossy, but now it was strange. It wasn't like a woman of Mai's personality to seem so quiet and...almost even passive, especially to Yugi, who wasn't his normal self, either.

It was getting on Jonouchi's nerves. He didn't like seeing her so subdued. Whatever happened between the three of them was over, as far as he was concerned.

"Mai, come on!" he hollered, losing his patience as he broke through the awkward silence, "Nothing is gonna get solved with you moping there like a little girl. So if I may, I'd like to propose a solution."

He didn't wait for approval. When Anzu asked what he planned on doing, he just grinned. It was unlikely that they'd agree to it, anyways.

"Easy," boasted Jonouchi as his face turned wild and he swiped the star chips off Yugi's open palm, "If you don't want them, Mai, I'll take them! That solves everything, hahaha!" He laughed maniacally as everyone else rolled their eyes. "Yes, now I got ten star chips! I'll be the first in the castle, hahaha! Whoo hoo!"

Jonouchi watched with satisfaction as Mai's face contorted with outrage, her eyebrows turning down sharply and her face flushing with anger. "Hold up there, asshole! What gives _you_ the right to take them, huh?" She took a few steps towards him, shaking her fist. Jonouchi just continued laughing, trotting back a few steps.

"Why you! Give them back!" Mai cried, thrusting out her hand in expectation.

Jonouchi pulled away, grinning like a moron as Mai's face turned redder and redder by the second.

"I'll never forgive you for this, you son of a-"

"-okay, don't have a cow, you drama llama, I get it."

Mai stared at him stupidly.

"Mai Kujaku, don't let your pride get in the way of what you want. Sure, you can throw these star chips in the ocean if you want," smiled Jonouchi as he walked over to her, placing his hand into hers, "It's completely up to you... But if I were you, I wouldn't throw them away. Not the star chips, and not your dreams."

Jonouchi dumped the star chips in Mai's hand before fighting back a yawn. "Jeez, I'm tired. No one wake me up anymore; I got duels to win in the morning!"

He walked off back to their spot with a small smile on his face. Not turning around to look behind him, he could feel the tension within the group settle as Mai probably stood there dumbfounded staring at the star chips.

Sure, Jonouchi would have loved to have kept them, but he wanted to win the tournament with honor and from his hard work. Not on Yugi's coattails. Mai lost to a predatory player killer, so Jonouchi could let that go, but he wasn't going to rob her of what Yugi thought belonged rightly to Mai in the first place.

Besides, he planned on kicking lots of duelist butt before getting his own ten chips.

* * *

It seemed like eternity, sitting in the helicopter as it flew over the Pacific Ocean. Kaiba's patience was waning; she thought up of a hundred different terrible scenarios as she sat there, arms and legs folded, concerned over her empire.

Everything was crashing down around her. The company. Her security. Mokuba, taken from her. The only thing she had was the clothes on her back, the loose deck of cards in her trench coat jacket, and the precious duel disk prototypes she had inside her briefcase. The helicopter was hers, too, but she doubted the men were hers anymore.

She took out the cards, looking through them. It wasn't her deck, but it wasn't a terrible mish-mash of cards, either. They worked for what she needed, and Kaiba didn't want to ruin her most valuable cards trying to work her duel disks while they were still in testing, either. Not until recently, at least.

"How long has it been since Death-T," asked Kaiba quietly. "I feel strange."

"Almost six months, Seto-sama."

"I see."

Six months of doing nothing but sitting comatose in a hospital bed, the world continuing without her. She was surprised no one had decided to pull the plug on her, but maybe Mokuba had something to do with it. Kaiba doubted her investors would have cared; they were always looking for an excuse to override her authority, but she was a Kaiba and they were not. The last name was her strength, and they wouldn't dare question the one who disposed of Gozaburo while she was awake.

But while weak and vulnerable, that was another story.

"It feels longer," spoke Kaiba to no one in particular. It felt like ages ago. Another lifetime, even. "It feels like it's been years since I've touched these cards."

"We have been awaiting your recovery, Seto-sama," the guard announced. She didn't trust his smile.

"I'm worried about my brother," she replied neutrally, careful to keep her face from betraying her suspicions. "I know Pegasus is behind all this... I'm going to crush him with my own hands."

The guard's eyebrow twitched. "Seto-sama, the real enemy is the boy who started this entire ordeal. Getting your revenge on him should be your priority, as it will be the fast-track to restoring your reputation."

"Revenge, huh," Kaiba murmured as she stared out the window. Memories rushed forth: the clinking of heavy chains; low, raspy breath; her three dragons being ripped to shreds; a stare so strong and eyes so deep they looked like they were colored with blood. "He was magnificent. My heart burns for revenge, yet I can't help but want to fight him once more…"

She'd never faced someone who presented such a challenge... not since that fateful chess match against Gozaburo. And even then, he wasn't half the player Yugi was. There was no one else in the world like him. Kaiba was sure about that much. She'd have to duel him again, to sate her curious desire.

The cabin grew silent, the constant beating of the blades overhead droning.

Something was off.

The moon. Kaiba stared at it intently as it slowly creeped by. It was moving in the wrong direction of where they should be heading… of where it _had_ been previously moving. And then it struck her - they'd merely been flying in circles this entire time. She turned her glance carefully to the guard sitting next to her, then to the pilot in the cockpit. They both were tense, the pilot sitting ramrod straight, while the guard's jaw clenched tightly. Kaiba slowly drew in a deep breath, exhaling it equally as slow through her nose.

Her instincts had been right. These men were no longer hers.

To her surprise, the guard broke the silence. "Tch," he reached into the inside of his suit jacket, brandishing a revolver and pointing it point-blank at her temple. He pulled back the hammer with an audible click. "I didn't want to do this, but looks like the jig is up," he smiled again without any warmth. "You're too damn smart for your own good."

"So you switched sides to Pegasus," answered Kaiba neutrally. "I'm not that surprised." She chuckled a little bit as she shuffled her deck in her hands. "What did he order you to do?"

"Give you a burial at sea," the guard replied simply, as though he was talking about the weather. He leaned forward, much too close, setting Kaiba even more on edge while staring down the barrel of his gun. His free hand slowly slid over, grazing Kaiba's knee, then sliding it up the inside of her thigh. "But Pegasus isn't here, so... he can't object to mixing a little pleasure in with business."

Kaiba could feel her heart racing, but she didn't let it affect her face. She'd been down this road before. It wasn't anything new. He could be dealt with.

"I don't think Pegasus would approve of your little idea," remarked Kaiba as she lifted one card up and closed her eyes, "But if you insist, just let me get these out of the way. I don't want blood on the cards."

The guard let out a tiny incredulous laugh as his mouth twisted into a sinister smirk. "I wouldn't worry about those; where you're going, you can't take them with you." He leaned farther in, giving the revolver a short jerk. "Okay, princess of cards, take your clothes off."

Quickly, Kaiba jammed the card into the revolver, blocking the hammer before using her free hand to jab him in the nose. She felt a snap when the hard part of her knife hand collided with the man's face, blood spurting out of his nostrils before Kaiba snatched the gun, yanking it back enough to break the man's finger.

"You worthless piece of scum," said Kaiba as she took the revolver into her hands, "You ruined a rare card. Now it's worthless and it was valued higher than your pathetic service to me. Now please, let's get this over with. Take off your clothes."

"Wh-wha?" the guard stammered through his bloody nose, his uninjured hand attempting to stymie the gushing blood while the broken one was raised in surrender.

"You heard me," replied Kaiba as she cocked the hammer back this time in the man's face, her eyes unreadable, "Take. Off. Your. Clothes."

Blood poured down the man's face, smearing across fabric as he unbuttoned and discarded his garments. He was down to just boxers and socks as he dropped to his knees and pleaded, "Mercy, Seto-sama."

Kaiba noted with some disdain that the blood that had spilled down his chest looked absurdly like a tie.

"I no longer have use for you. Open the door now."

"P-please," the guard whimpered as the door drew back on its rails. Now that _his_ life was on the line, he was blubbering like an imbecile. Feh. Regardless of his betrayal, his cowardice was reason enough to strip him of the KC logo.

"Pilot, come join him. I can drive this thing myself," continued Kaiba as she moved to the front and shoved the man out of his seat, "I don't need either of you two betrayers. Go sink to the bottom of the ocean for all I care. Maybe Pegasus would like that.

"Now jump."

She shot the gun at the guard, just missing him by his ear before they both got enough sense to jump off the helicopter. It wasn't like she meant to kill him, either. Kaiba knew how to shoot a gun. Letting the man die from hypothermia sounded like a more pleasing thought than just outright killing him, though.

Moving to shut the door again, Kaiba looked down before smiling. She was already flying past where the men presumably dropped. They had many miles to swim, if they hoped to live. Kaiba highly doubted the guard would. Maybe the pilot would manage it, if he was lucky, and the sharks weren't hungry. There had been an awful lot of blood...

"Now to Pegasus's Island," said Kaba under her breath, taking charge of the steering as she fitted herself with an earset, trying to get her bearings now that she was flying herself.

To Pegasus's island, and with any luck, her brother.

 _Mokuba._

* * *

Now that Mai was finally gone, he could get some sleep. Sprawled out on the grass, hands pillowing his head, Jonouchi closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Spending the night outside wasn't so bad. The moon was but a tiny glow from under the thick and clustered treetops, and the grass and soil were soft underneath his body. A light breeze came off the shore, and a steady buzz from insects around them sounded almost like a lullaby.

It was so dark, though. Uncomfortably so. Despite his serene surroundings, Jonouchi's mind kept racing, working on overdrive to identify any potential threats that may come his way.

It was an annoying habit that would guarantee exhaustion in the morning. He'd always been scared of the dark since he was a kid, and that simple fear grew and metastasized into paranoia as a teenager. Except now, he didn't so much fear the faceless monsters in the dark as those who chose to revel in it. He knew those types. Had been part of their ranks, once upon a time.

Leaving the gang had meant watching out for the shadows - he never knew who was lurking around, seeking to do him harm or worse. Before thieving, he used to hate the streetlamp outside his bedroom window, how it flickered and crackled all throughout the night. But after his break from Hirutani, Jonouchi viewed it as a godsend. It kept the darkness away, and Jonouchi soon learned to sleep in a bright space. Preferred it.

It was too dark outside now.

His ears were assaulted by a blood-curdling scream. Jonouchi bolted upright, turning an angry scowl towards the scream's source. "Shut the fuck up, man! How can any of us sleep with your blaring!"

" _Snake_!" Honda screeched, flailing around wildly.

Yugi, who'd been curled up beside him, reached over and grasped Honda's tormentor. "Relax, Honda-kun, it's just a vine. It must've fallen from one of the tree branches."

Honda, who'd been chattering about his hatred of slithery reptiles, went silent abruptly as he peered over. "Just- a vine?" he said stupidly.

"Oh my _god_ ," Jonouchi huffed in exasperation, "All that over nothing. Stop being such a pansy-ass and get the hell to sleep, Honda!" He threw himself back on the ground dramatically, rolling onto his side so that he wouldn't have to look at any of them.

Just as he'd finally felt the gentle tug of sleep, another shriek pulled him back violently. "What _now_!?" he nearly howled, equally as loud.

"The pendant," Ryou started, looking at his three companions' startled faces before returning his gaze to the item in his hands. The bottommost dagger was defying gravity, pointing straight ahead as the surrounding ones hung lifelessly.

"What the shit, Bakura!" Jonouchi hissed, "Why'd you bring _that thing_ to the island!?"

Ryou started talking all sorts of weird occult shit and Jonouchi just chose to zone out at that point. He was so tired. This was the last thing on earth he wanted to hear about while trying to get rest. Why couldn't his friends just be normal? Of all things to scream about. Sure, the ring was creepy as fuck, but Ryou didn't need to announce the damn thing to the entire world.

Sighing, Jonouchi made a face before deciding to walk out on them. Occult stuff just gave him the creeps.

"Umm, I'm going back to bed," he said to no one in particular.

Honda started laughing. "Hehehe, Jonouchi, you want me to tell you a scary story?"

Jonouchi was too tired to be humored. "Shut the fuck up, Honda. It's too late for this shit. Now leave me alone and nobody scream anymore, or I swear!"

He found his place and laid down, Yugi picking the spot next to him as he finally shut his eyes and found himself drifting off. It was quiet again. Jonouchi let his mind go blank as it slowly shut down, his body weightless before he finally fell asleep.

The trees were moving. Branches trembled as the wind picked up, and suddenly there was a loud _whup whup whup_ sound being carried from the air, coming from the location off the ocean. Jonouchi opened his eyes angrily, feeling his frustration rising as Yugi began to sit up next to him.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me," he hollered into the darkness, grabbing at his hair, "A fucking helicopter? Cut it out!" He tried plugging his ears with his fingers, gritting his teeth as he stared into the lights of the copter as it flew over their heads. "Just stop the noise!"

It was landing a few feet away from them. Hot-headed and too tired to stop himself, Jonouchi immediately started stomping towards it, grumbling under his breath, "Does this asshole not know what time it is? I'm gonna beat that guy's asshole in once they get out of that damn thing. Who the heck would come to this island in the middle of the damn night."

Yugi peered through the darkness, looking interested. Everyone was gathering, and finding himself among the group once more, Jonouchi calmed down a little, just baring his teeth as he watched the door of the helicopter open.

"What's going on?" asked Mai.

No one answered. Yugi gasped. Feet dropped onto the ground, revealing black leather boots and slim-fitted dress pants, the dark coat blowing in the wind as the helicopter's blades began to slow to a stop. The coattails played in the breeze, twisting and whipping behind, and suddenly Jonouchi felt his heart jump.

It was Kaiba Seto. She was alive.


	13. Chapter 13

It felt like his heart had stopped. Maybe he was dreaming. There was no way Kaiba could be here. Awake. Alive. Looking as though she'd never been ill in the first place.

Kaiba stared silently at her de-facto welcoming group, eyes scanning over everyone and then finally resting upon Yugi. Out of the corner of his eye, Jonouchi noticed Yugi swallow hard, trying his best not to shrivel under Kaiba's shrewd gaze.

"Is that... Kaiba?" Anzu ventured after a moment. "Yes, it is! She's out of her coma!" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Before Jonouchi even noticed what was happening, Yugi dashed forward until he was mere steps away from Kaiba. "Kaiba-san!" he greeted warmly.

"Yugi... it's been a while," Kaiba replied tersely, staring down at him with a blank face.

Yugi rummaged around in his pockets before he produced a deck of Duel Monsters cards. He tapped them into place neatly before offering them, "Someone had stolen your cards. I got them back for you."

Kaiba just stared at the hand for a moment, her eyes still unreadable before she finally picked them up and placed them in her coat.

"I thank you for now," she spoke quietly, looking down into Yugi's eyes before her face became more hardened, "But don't be mistaken, Yugi. I don't intend on sitting on the sidelines just because I lost my battle against you. We will face each other again. And I will defeat you, sooner or later..."

She turned as if ready to walk away before looking at Yugi again. "And one more thing. It'll be me who defeats Pegasus. I'll protect Kaiba Corporation with my own hands. And save my brother."

With that, she turned heel and headed towards the woods, not looking once behind her. Yugi stood quiet, as if unsure whether to say something or not. For once, he looked completely shocked, just watching Kaiba walk off like that into the darkness.

She had some nerve...

The words came spilling out before he knew he was speaking them. "Not so fast, Kaiba!"

Jonouchi marched after her, stopping just short of the hem of her trenchcoat as it billowed in the breeze. He didn't even know what he was doing, what he was saying. All he knew was that he felt _hurt_. His chest felt like it was going to burst, his gut twisted painfully. He at once felt elated and infuriated, so indescribably lonely. "Leaving without so much as a hello," Jonouchi growled as he grabbed at the crook of her arm, "Don't tell me you forgot about the rest of us so easily! Or what you did!"

"I haven't," replied Kaiba as she grabbed Jonouchi's wrist and narrowed her eyes, "But now is not the time to revisit the past. Heh, I almost forgot you were there in the first place."

Her eyes got dark, with a kind of maliciousness Jonouchi hadn't seen since that time when Kaiba played against Yugi after his grandfather was carted away to an ambulance. It made him jump, the look was so frightening, and Kaiba took advantage, grabbing his arm wholly and throwing it towards the ground.

It felt like all the blood in his body had been replaced by ice water. He barely registered it when Kaiba shoved him back hard, creating distance between them. But she already felt a million miles away, and all the worry and yearning he'd bottled up over the past six months was incinerated by the fury that took up residence in his bones. He felt empty. And so, so alone.

There was such a disconnect between Jonouchi's mind and body that he ended up stumbling over his feet, unable to catch his balance, and he felt himself fall as though in slow motion. All he could see was Kaiba's lips curl up into a cruel smirk as his ass hit the ground, the ashes of his crush dispersing into the shadows of the night.

"Jonouchi, was it?" asked Kaiba as she stood there looking down where he'd fallen, not moving to help him up, or really do anything but cross her arms against her chest. "So you're in this tournament, too? Now I see the level of competition..."

Jonouchi sprung back to his feet, hands clenched into fists. Somewhat absently he felt his fingernails, short as they were, digging into his palms. He ignored how the sound of his name sounded on her voice.

He tried to calm himself. He wasn't a mindless thug anymore. His opponent was a _girl_. No matter how enraged she made him, Jonouchi knew he would be less than trash if he were to strike a female.

"Duel me," he heard himself say, "Right here. Right now."

"Do you really think someone of your level should be requesting a duel against someone like me?" asked Kaiba. Her gaze was almost curious, but then it turned into a look of almost pity. "It won't be pretty. Duel against me, and I'll shatter your confidence like cheap glass. I am the last person on earth you want for competition."

Around him, Jonouchi's friends pleaded with him to stop. To let it go. He drowned out their words. All he could see, all he could hear, was Kaiba. "Let's just see about that. Come on, there's a Duel Box over there."

"No. Let's fight here."

Kaiba knelt down, setting her briefcase on the grass as she opened up the top. There were rows of cards, but more importantly, her duel disk prototypes were still encased in their place.

"Don't worry, it's just a testing experiment I'm going to have you help me with," spoke Kaiba as she grabbed her disk first and placed it on before throwing the other toward Jonouchi's direction.

He caught it, looking down at the device unsure of what to do. "It simulates the Duel battles without the use of the box, to make it all seem more real. That's how I'm going to beat Pegasus. With this device. My new battle machine."

At a loss, Jonouchi mimicked her actions, putting the cuff on and inserting his deck into the holder. It felt weird, like a giant misplaced yo-yo, but Kaiba seemed pleased with herself as she backed away carefully.

"The rules will be mostly the same, just without the advantages of field types," explained Kaiba, "So prepare yourself." She stepped back until they were at least five meters apart, her face serious as she drew five cards from her deck and set the duel disk to battle mode, tossing it towards him.

"Ladies first," she called out, "I play Battle Ox in attack mode!"

The monster appeared real. It put the island's duel boxes to shame, in just how intense the graphics looked, the fiend large than life and snarling and roaring from where it stood in front of Kaiba, who wore a smug grin on her face.

"It's called 'Solid Vision'," declared Kaiba triumphantly, "Something I created just for this game. 3D imagery built right into the duel disk to create the life-like images you see now right in front of your eyes!"

It would revolutionize the game, no longer confined to tabletops. And with monsters that would actually battle alongside you… Jonouchi shook his head, momentarily dazzled. He quickly looked through his hand and set a card upon the reader, flinging it into the air. "Alright, Armored Lizard - I need your help here!"

The monster shot upward in an arc of light as the duel disk began to spin in the clearing between Jonouchi and Kaiba. It hovered there, waiting for directions.

"Get that big brute, Armored Lizard!" Jonouchi yelled, the monster surging forward to meet Kaiba's Battle Ox.

"Battle Ox, disembowel him!" challenged Kaiba.

Jonouchi's courage did him no favors. Armored Lizard took the crushing weight of the Battle Ox's ax, the blade stuck between the thick scales until it finally came down and destroyed Jonouchi's monster. His life points dropped by two hundred, Kaiba laughing from aways.

"You're in over your head, Jonouchi," she yelled, "Why don't you just give up before you embarass yourself? You don't know the game."

Feeling his cheeks begin to burn, Jonouchi ignored her taunting and chased after his card, which the duel disk had ejected without preamble. He felt a little silly for running after his loose cards with such urgency, but hell if he was going to lose half his deck to Kaiba's little experiment. Reeling the disk part back in (it really _did_ feel like one giant yo-yo), Jonouchi tried again. "Okay, this time will be better! Go, Flame Swordsman!"

Yugi made a face as Kaiba laughed again.

"Still not good enough," she chided. Her Battle Ox managed to withstand the attack of Flame Swordsman before Jonouchi's attack power suddenly went down by three hundred.

Fuck. Elemental resistance - he'd forgotten.

Kaiba cackled again as Jonouchi's monster was destroyed. "I'm not sure if I should feel embarrassed for you or just enjoy the beat down," continued Kaiba, "I've never seen anyone try so hard only to be so horribly incompetent at dueling. But at least this gives me a chance to test out my equipment. Don't worry, Jonouchi, I'm not going to demand star chips from you, even though you are wasting my time." She laughed again before rubbing her forehead like she was tired. "Honestly, this is getting a little boring."

"Maybe it's because of your bad attitude," Jonouchi bit back, unable to hold himself back any longer, "You know, it makes me wonder if you even _like_ playing the game, or if you just get off on being a giant bully."

She seethed before taking two cards, placing one down and charging up her Battle Ox before setting Mystic Horseman on the field.

"Playing nice will get you nowhere," Kaiba snarled, "And I'll prove it to you. I play Polymerization and combine my Battle Ox with Mystic Horseman to create Rabid Horsemen, with two thousand attack points! Can you keep up with this duel, or should I take it easy on you so you can catch up? Bull-headedness won't get you far if you don't have the skill to carry yourself through, Jonouchi."

Why did she always feel the need to demean him? To just totally disregard him, as though he would never amount to anything, wasn't even worth her attention? It burned hot in his chest everytime he looked into her cold eyes, knowing she didn't really _see_ him. He was nothing more than a stepping-stone, an object obstructing her path.

He felt his lips curl back of their own accord, sharp teeth bared. "You think you're so smart, that you're better than the rest of us." He almost crushed the cards in his fist. "I'll always remember, Kaiba! I'll _never_ forgive you over Death-T!" He flung out the disk, knowing full-well his monster was no match for her current one.

"Is that what this whole match is about?" asked Kaiba, shrugging her shoulders before shaking her head as if she was pitying, "You got your feelings hurt and want to regain your hurt male ego? Go ahead and try."

Monster after monster fell, Kaiba's Rabid Horseman was too powerful for any monster in Jonouchi's deck. He couldn't attack it outright, and Kaiba wasn't giving an inch. Quickly, Jonouchi's life points dropped to a mere five hundred, hardly anything to protect himself with.

"Why don't you just give up, Jonouchi," continued Kaiba, "This isn't even a game anymore."

She was just too strong. Jonouchi's pitiful monsters, pieced together from trades and booster packs and gifts from Yugi, was no match against her supercharged collection. He stood in open dismay, heard his friends calling encouragement from far away.

Her smile was twisted. Upon an otherwise beautiful face, it was unsightly. He wanted to wipe it off her face.

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Fight like a man!" Mai cried out from a distance.

If his blood hadn't already been boiling, _that_ would have set him off. "Shut the fuck up, already! You're the last person I wanna hear that from," he growled. Shit, he didn't need another chick jumping down his throat over the state of his manhood. "I ain't giving up just yet."

He pulled his next card. This time, it was his turn to smirk. "Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Kaiba looked stunned as the massive beast roared to life, firing out black flames that consumed her own monster. _Finally_ , he'd landed a hit.

It blew Kaiba's centaur away. She bristled, looking a little put-out but not as upset as Jonouchi would have liked. In fact, right as Jonouchi started cheering with his friends, a small smirk reappeared on her face.

"Celebrating over a minor victory," she said before taking her duel disk back, "The hallmark of an amateur. Your luck is just about to run out. I've been saving a card that could beat yours since the beginning of the game. A card your friend Yugi gave back to me."

Everyone gasped before Kaiba played the card in the slot, throwing the duel disk out as a shower of bright lights exploded and revealed her most loyal and powerful beast, a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It towered over the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, the roar more ferocious and more powerful as its scales shined white in the moonlight.

"Say goodbye to your life points," cried out Kaiba, "And whatever you have left for dignity. Blue-Eyes White Dragon, end this pathetic duel and wipe out his life points!"

A burst of electricity came flying out of the dragon's mouth, blowing not only Jonouchi's Red-Eyes Black Dragon away, but also Jonouchi himself. He went flying, landing on his ass right in front of his friends, disheveled and life points completely depleted.

"This is why I'm the only one fit to duel Pegasus," Kaiba declared, her attention now directed toward Yugi, "I'm the only one who will do what needs to be done. Don't stand in my way again."

She wasn't even looking at him, as if her attention had already moved on past him. She looked terrifying though, backlit by the moon with her Blue-Eyes curled around her, like some kind of goddess of war or a harbinger of death. Jonouchi sat there feeling pathetic, cradled in Yugi's arms. Kaiba's Solid Vision system sure packed a punch, and while he'd definitely experienced worse beat-downs in his life, this one had _felt_ like the worst.

Where had his pride gone?

Scowling, he roughly disconnected the disk from his arm and flung it back towards Kaiba, not caring in the least if it happened to get broken along the way. It would serve her right, using him like a guinea pig.

But she'd caught it, still smirking as the dragon dissipated and she quickly turned to putting her duel disk system back to its original place inside her briefcase.

"Was that educational, Jonouchi?" asked Kaiba as she stood there with her arms folded. "You might have gotten somewhere here thanks to the help of your friends, but it won't get you far. Friends are a hindrance. The only person you can believe in is yourself, and if you can't do that much, you'll always fail.

"Just look at you," she continued, frowning almost like she was disgusted. "On your knees shaking like someone's beaten dog. Is that what you are, Jonouchi? Yugi's pet dog?" She shook her head before blowing the entire group off to head away again towards Pegasus's castle.

Words were lodged in Jonouchi's throat, unable to pass. But he was surprised when Anzu stepped forward, as though shielding him, and met Kaiba face-on. "Who do you think you are, to say something like that? You know _nothing_ about Jonouchi, or any of us, for that matter. You don't know what he's going through, _why_ he's dueling-"

"She's right," Ryou piped up, "His sister-"

"Enough, you two!" Jonouchi finally managed to find his voice. He quickly deflated, seeing their hurt expressions. "It's just... someone like her doesn't deserve to know," he finished quietly.

Kaiba gave a blank look, her eyes unreadable.

"All Duelists have _something_ to fight for," replied Kaiba neutrally, "Even the terrible ones. But it makes no difference. What kind of person are you if you lack the skills and determination to protect the things most important to you? It won't matter in the end. You can't even stand up; your confidence has been shattered. If you can't even stand up for yourself, how do you expect to go against a mastermind like Pegasus?

"I told you, Jonouchi, that you'd regret your duel against me."

He felt fingers briefly press into his arm before Yugi stood up and took a step forward. "Kaiba-san... in the six months that you've been gone, haven't you changed at all? You're just the same…"

Kaiba paused in her steps, standing there a moment before finally turning around to look back at Yugi's determined face.

"Yugi," she said very quietly, her face stern as her eyes narrowed before she turned completely around to face him, "Did you expect me to grin like an idiot and join forces with you? To this day, your friendship _disgusts_ me. Don't give kindness and expect it in return, because you and me, we are enemies. That's all."

Yugi slumped to the ground next to Jonouchi, who along with Anzu held a hand up to steady him. He appeared stricken and deeply hurt, and seeing his friend in so much distress made Jonouchi forget about his _own_ anger, and he took up that mantle instead. He stopped himself short, though, from firing off his own heated retort when he actually _looked_ at Kaiba. She stood in place, silent and still, gaze locked onto the looming castle ahead. Although everything about her was blank, almost to the point of numbness, there was something about her that seemed profoundly sad.

"Look at that castle, Yugi," spoke Kaiba again, her voice cool and controlled once more. "Pegasus lies within there, ready for all of us. You think you can face him, but you have no idea what's in store for you. He knows every single duel monsters card in existence, created every single one... and you think you have a chance at beating him? Even with all your skill..."

Kaiba paused again, dropping her head before lifting it back up again, as if unsure to continue.

"I've only seen him duel once in the past...if you could even call it a fight."

* * *

Kaiba sat in a roaring stadium, seated in the VIP section as she watched the tournament continue to unfold. As Japan's National Champion, she had been personally invited by Pegasus to come to New York City to watch. Things were different in the United States, with an abundance of professional Duelists and card competitions with prize money that exceeded twenty million. It was unheard of, and of course, Kaiba needed to see it for herself.

Games had always come easy for her. It seemed like a gift, almost, being able to play the game so flawlessly without much effort, and Pegasus had been impressed. Someone was paying attention to her, and for a while, Kaiba had enjoyed herself. New York City was a great distraction, and being surrounded by something she was passionate about just made it all the better.

The number one card player in America, Keith Howard, was going up against Pegasus himself. Before the match started, Pegasus spent a great deal of time with children of all ages in an expo of sorts, showing them personally how to play before the actual tournament began.

She didn't know what to think of it. At first, Kaiba was impressed by Pegasus's apparent love of children, but it quickly turned out to be something far more sinister in nature.

It started to seem funny when Pegasus picked a kid from the audience and scribbled notes on a piece of paper before sending him out there to play against Keith. Kaiba wanted to ask just what he was doing, but she just stayed silently watching before Pegasus actually took a seat next to her.

"Hello, Kaiba darling," he greeted excitedly, "I looked at your proposal for the duel box technology, and boy was I impressed! What an opportunity for us both! I would love for our companies to work together to make your dream into a reality."

Kaiba couldn't stop herself from staring, her jaw slack before she caught herself. No one had ever really approved of her plans before. It shouldn't have been so easy.

But Pegasus wanted her ideas. Wanted what she had to offer. Kaiba Corporation would enter a new age.

Before Kaiba could completely become lost in her thoughts, though, the child Pegasus had picked finished the directions Pegasus had given him, completely ruining the game for Keith, somehow managing to defeat him. It didn't make any sense. In front of hundreds of thousands, a young boy who had just started playing beat a professional-level player, without doing anything more than following presumably simple directions.

"Oh look, my boy Tom just won!" announced Pegasus loudly with a smile on his face, "You'll have to excuse me, Kaiba darling, but I gotta go. The show must go on!"

He used the tournament as a way to advertise duel monsters. It was brilliant. Kaiba felt aghast, watching Pegasus bedazzle the world after somehow tricking Keith into losing the match.

* * *

It never left her thoughts, even before the betrayal.

"I don't know what trick he used while at that tournament," spoke Kaiba quietly, "But my new duel disk system should give me the advantage against him."

Yugi appeared shocked. Kaiba just looked at him grimly before looking back at the castle again.

"I am going to the castle," she continued, "And I will face him and win. Get back what belongs to me. What he tried to take away."

"Kaiba!" Yugi called after her. His voice was strong, clear - it carried no hints of the hesitance or deference Kaiba had come to expect from him. "You're not the only one who has something precious to recover and protect." He crossed his arms, his expression wholly different from the one she'd seen before she'd shared her story. "I'll be the one to defeat Pegasus."

"Perhaps," Kaiba said before turning back towards the castle once again, "But I will reach there first."


	14. Chapter 14

It was nearly three in the morning when Kaiba finally arrived at Pegasus's castle. The tower was lit, but the majority of the space was still blanketed in darkness, Kaiba creeping through the shadows in her black coat undetected by the security force until reaching the front door. When she reached the front, she immediately took account of the two armed guards who stood in front of the main entryway, the men arguing amongst themselves before they finally noticed her standing in front of them.

They both looked shocked. Their faces turned white and Kaiba just stood there, unfazed before finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Give me Pegasus right now."

They both looked unsure of what to do, but before they could speak, the door opened and someone clapping walked through the gates.

"Well well well, Kaiba-sama, what a surprise. We didn't expect to see you here." It was Pegasus's main goon, Mr. Crocketts. He was unremarkable, by all counts, but Pegasus still trusted him all the same. It wasn't the first time he and Kaiba had ran into each other.

"I'm sorry your men couldn't kill me," Kaiba smiled back, her lips tight as her eyes narrowed, "Where's Pegasus?"

"Oh, if you'd please just follow me," Crocketts answered as he opened his arm to lead Kaiba along.

It could be a trap. Kaiba wanted her arrival to be a surprise, but by now, Pegasus probably knew she was there. Unfortunate, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"This is the second time you've been here, isn't it, Kaiba-sama?"

Kaiba didn't speak. She knew he'd remember her from the party. It was for the grand opening of the Simulation Box when it was first debuting. Everyone had come to the opening of Pegasus's Island, and at that time, Kaiba had been excited. She had been happy, for a short time.

"Enough of your chit-chat," interrupted Kaiba as she lost her patience, "Where's Mokuba? I know you all are responsible for kidnapping him, and if you think for a moment I won't do something about it-"

"Kaiba-sama, I think you are mistaken. We haven't done any such thing."

He was lying blatantly to Kaiba's face, but Kaiba was used to that from men. As if anyone would admit to running off with a minor and holding said child captive. Even Kaiba wasn't that low.

"You're wasting my time," barked Kaiba as she stepped up closer to Crocketts, who just coolly smiled at her. "Take me to your boss, now!"

"I'm afraid I can't exactly do that right now, it's three in the morning, and Pegasus is asleep."

"I don't care." She grabbed the man by the collar, and despite him being taller than her, Kaiba still managed to lift him up from the ground, making the man sweat before she finally let go.

"Okay, fine," the man said, as if trying to smooth things over, "He's in the next gate. If you can open the lock."

"What are you talking about?"

Kaiba approached the second entryway. There was a bolt of sorts at the front, which required star-like items to open. She could feel her blood pressure rising before she turned her gaze back towards Crocketts.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"No, I'm afraid not," answered Crocketts, "You must have ten-star chips to continue on. I'm afraid I cannot enter myself, and so neither can you."

Her throat felt thick as her eyes started to twitch. "How convenient."

"Now if you don't mind, let me prepare a room for you in the annex, and we'll deal with this star-chip business in the morning..."

It didn't sound like Kaiba really had a choice.

* * *

It was dark all around him. Jonouchi kept pulling card after card, but they were all wrong. The stack was never ending. Something was breathing down his neck, uncomfortably warm and wet. He tried ignoring it - tried to stay his attention on the task at hand. He _knew_ it was in here, somewhere…

Cold blue eyes flashed in front of him, and there was laughter from before him and a horrible keening from behind. Jonouchi spun around and was eye-to-eye with a massive Blue-Eyes White Dragon, its head bent low to observe him, nostrils flared. Letting out a surprised shriek, Jonouchi let go of his deck, the cards scattering away into the void.

Kaiba watched apathetically as the Blue-Eyes knocked him over with its head, snapping at the end of Jonouchi's green jacket before dragging him around the floor. One wrong move and that thing would try to eat him. It was playing with him like a cat would a cornered mouse, Jonouchi had no way of fighting back.

"I've never seen anyone try so hard and suck so completely at dueling," Kaiba laughed, pointing directly at him. He'd never felt so embarrassed in his life. He was flat on his ass again, with no hope of getting up. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon kept knocking him down with its whiplash like tail.

Kaiba's face fell in mock-concern. "Oh, you got your feelings hurt and want to regain your precious male ego?" And then her expression sharpened, grim exposing teeth as white as the Blue-Eyes beside her. "Why don't you just give up, Jonouchi?"

He came to from his dream with a start, his entire body jerking upwards as his eyes snapped open. Jonouchi felt sore and achy, the back of his hair sticking uncomfortably on the back of his neck. His jacket clung to his sides and arms, but he felt too chilled to remove it. Beside him, the rest of his friends continued their sojourns through the dream world.

It had been only a dream.

The sun was still relatively low on the horizon. Jonouchi lifted his arm and scrutinized the glove covering his right hand. He only had four-star chips. Still, more than half to go before he secured a spot in the finals, and he'd have to get them all today. Stretching, Jonouchi let out a long sigh before picking himself up and dusting himself off. They couldn't afford to waste any more time by sleeping in; Jonouchi was a little surprised that no one had tried to jump them during the night. But they'd been sleeping on a private island, not his neighborhood…

"Alright, guys!" he announced loudly, receiving bleary stares for his efforts, "The last day's already started, and we have star chips to win! Onwards to Pegasus's castle!"

"I'm still sleepy," whined Honda as he got up. Anzu was missing, and Yugi silently picked himself up, wiping sleep from his eyes as he yawned.

He looked around as Anzu approached, appearing troubled. "Anzu, do you know where Mai is? I don't see her anywhere."

"Oh, she left sometime during the night," Anzu shrugged, "But she left her tent and food for us, so that's cool."

Jonouchi hardly paid any attention to them. Mai wasn't really one of their group. She was like an outsider looking in, and since she was so annoying, it didn't bother Jonouchi in the least if she wanted to be a special snowflake and go out on her own... as long as they still had food to eat.

Besides, it was the last day of the tournament. They had no time now for being pals with strangers.

"Okay, let's go!" announced Jonouchi loudly.

"Right!" Yugi agreed, "There are probably only half of the contests left by now... But still, only the first four with ten star chips make it to the end. Whomever we encounter today will be stronger than yesterday, so we can't lose focus…"

"Stronger?" echoed Jonouchi. He couldn't help but make a face at that.

"What, getting scared now?" Honda snickered from behind.

"Like hell I am!" Jonouchi bellowed, pulling Honda into a headlock and rattling him around for good measure. "I'll take them all down - anyone who dares to stand in my way!"

"That's the spirit, Jonouchi-kun!" smiled Yugi. "I know you can do it."

They'd been walking for some time. The sun rose higher in the sky, and with it, Jonouchi began to feel a tell-tale heaviness in his bladder.

"Yo, I'm gonna take a leak," he said as he ventured off the path for some privacy. Anzu had given him a withering look for his crudeness, but the others had simply nodded and left him to his business.

When nature called, he just had to heed it.

Finding a reasonably secluded tree, Jonouchi unzipped his pants and gave into sweet relief. He'd just about finished up when he was grabbed from behind, a large palm covering his mouth, and he felt hauled away unceremoniously.

 _What. The. Fuck._

* * *

That shit had been _intense_.

There he'd been, pissing in the woods when he'd been dragged down forcibly to some creep's crypt. Jonouchi had been vaguely thankful that he hadn't wet himself in the ensuing debacle to drag him underground. Vaguely. But mostly just enraged that someone had sunk low enough to catch him with his junk out and about.

 _And_ he'd been forced to bet all his star chips - definitely not the way he'd wanted to begin his day, and especially not all by himself. That Kozuka guy had been a colossal weirdo with an equally freaky deck, and it had taken all of Jonouchi's wits to skate by that Duel without pissing _himself_. He _hated_ occult shit of any kind, and all Kozuka seemed to have were creepy-ass zombies.

It'd been hard, especially with that Bandit Keith barking orders, and he hadn't had Yugi's support. But he couldn't give up - that meant being kicked out of the tournament, and failing his sister. Becoming the loser that Kaiba thought he was.

All he could do was trust in his cards. Trust in himself.

And he'd _won._

It took a large gamble: he'd only had 150 life points left and a magic card he'd never really tried out before. Just a random card he'd pulled in a booster pack and thought might be useful down the line.

But he'd won, and doubled his star chips in the process. He'd also gotten them into one hell of a bind, though.

The others had found him right as he'd landed the finishing blow on Kozuka's life points, and then Bandit Keith had run off and sealed their exit. The only way out would be to traverse the dark tunnels and hope there would be another opening at the end. Luckily, Mai had left them a lantern in her bag of goods, and Bakura's ring seemed to know the way out (which in and of itself was _creepy as fuck_ ).

They'd been weaving through the dark corridors when Bakura turned to them, eyebrows drawn down in concentration. "I think we're in a maze."

It made sense. Jonouchi had noticed how the walls around them had smoothed and straightened out, their path peppered by sharp ninety-degree turns. After a while, it didn't seem like anyone knew where to go in the underground cave and Jonouchi felt frustrated for being trapped down there in the first place.

"Do you know what those punks did to me?" started Jonouchi as he began to speak into the darkness.

No one answered, so Jonouchi took that as a cue to continue.

"They snatched me while I was taking a piss," Jonouchi hissed, his eyes still not quite used to the darkness as he squinted around to see, "What kind of douchebag just does something like that? I had my shit hanging out and everything."

"Oh be quiet, Jonouchi," said Anzu as she shook her head in distaste, "No one wants to hear about that."

"Yeah well, that's exactly what happened though," continued Jonouchi. "It was ridiculous. Sure, I've been jumped before, but never like that. A man needs his privacy and those punks didn't even give me a moment to get my shit together. It was so undignified."

"You wouldn't know what dignity was if it slapped you across the face," laughed Honda as he hit Jonouchi lightly on the shoulder with his own. "You were mad because some guys caught you with your drawers down."

"I almost pissed all over myself," continued Jonouchi. "It's not like I got an extra pair of clothes."

Anzu sighed loudly, irritable as ever.

"You could always ask Mai for a hookup," Honda suggested with a snicker, "She seemed to have a lot of shit in her bag, so a change of clothes wouldn't be far off. I'm sure you could wiggle into one of her leather skirts."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you," shot Jonouchi back, "What are you, some kind of homo? What kind of stupid suggestion is that?"

"Hey man, beggars can't be choosers. Just be glad you didn't _actually_ piss your pants."

"I am happy I didn't piss my pants," mumbled Jonouchi back quietly.

He wouldn't be able to live that kind of humiliation down, after everything that already happened to him thus far. Jonouchi felt like a complete fuck up. Nothing was happening right, despite just managing to win a duel all alone. That was great, yet he was still constantly screwing up and becoming the butt end of jokes.

"I wonder why there are dueling boxes down here, anyways," began Jonouchi, "It seems like a stupid place to make people duel."

"Well, Pegasus _does_ seem a bit eccentric," Yugi surmised, "And since this tournament has field advantages, I guess it makes sense to give _all_ types of deck advantages."

"Or maybe the guy is just a giant dick. That seems more likely," reasoned Jonouchi.

"Do you guys always feel the need to talk in terms of your privates?" groaned Anzu, "They're called _privates_ for a reason!"

Jonouchi rolled his eyes, moving closer to Anzu as he bumped shoulders with her. "Why you gotta be such a giant prude," Jonouchi snickered, "You act like you are some high and mighty girl, but I know you like dirty shit just as much as the rest of us. I've seen your yaoi collection before. I recognized the titles, you pervert."

His sister read them, but he didn't want to explain that far. It wasn't like he'd ever want to read a bunch of gay stories...

He felt a sharp pain as Anzu rammed her elbow into his ribs. "Oh hush, Jonouchi! It's not like I flaunt it. And how would _you_ know, anyway!" Even in the dim light, her face was obviously reddened.

"My sister reads that shit," cried out Jonouchi as he hissed from the pain. Damn, sometimes Anzu could be violent. She was a small girl, but she could be mean. "My mother doesn't approve, so sometimes I support her sick habit. You happy now? I'm not interested in butt sex with another dude, you weirdo."

Honda was snorting somewhere in the background as Yugi sighed. Ryou was so quiet, Jonouchi almost forgot he was even there.

"I don't get why you girls even want to read that stuff, anyways. It's so weird."

"It's not all about the _sex_ ," Anzu retorted as she smoothed her hair, "But it's not like I expect the likes of you to get it." She stuck out her tongue briefly before stalking off to the front of the line between Yugi and Ryou.

Jonouchi just snorted. Anzu could be so damn uptight, sometimes. He didn't think he'd ever understand girls.

They continued onwards. Jonouchi couldn't tell how far they'd been walking, or how long, or even how deep underground they were.

In the distance was a pinpoint of light. It grew as they approached, the darkness on the walls receding behind them. Finally, they came to a wide entrance that opened to a brightly-lit room with tiled floors and large embossed kanji all around: beneath their feet, on the walls flanking the room, painted on the doors at the back. In the center of the room was a table shaped in an octagon with four chairs.

"What the hell is this place?" Jonouchi said aloud as he scrunched his face up and looked around. He didn't have much time to stand around and gawk: there was a rapid whooshing sound, and a blur of motion, and suddenly two nearly-identical-looking men dropped down before them.

"We are the Meikyu Brothers, guardians of the dungeon!" announced one of the men. Jonouchi could hardly tell the two men apart, and he frowned when he realized he wouldn't be escaping the maze anytime soon.

"Have you come to find the pathway out," asked the other with a broad smile, "We have the answer, but for a price."

"You must get past us-"

"-By winning a Duel," answered a brother, "And then you may be given the answer to the question you are looking for."

One of those back doors had to be the right door to escape. Jonouchi felt his anxiety begin to prick; he wanted out of there.

"But if you run," warned the slightly larger of the two, "You and your group shall be lost forever!"

That didn't sound too good. Maybe it was an empty threat, but Jonouchi didn't want to test that theory. He turned to Yugi for some kind of guidance before the latter stepped forward.

"I accept your challenge," Yugi announced, sounding more sure and confident than he had earlier while in the tunnels. Jonouchi was beginning to notice the change better. Yugi stood taller, straight and proud, his eyes focused and sharp as he gazed at the pair of brothers.

"Who shall duel as your partner?" asked one of the two, "We must play two against two."

Yugi smiled as he looked at Jonouchi.

"We'd make quite a team, wouldn't we?"

Jonouchi blinked, his face warming up as his throat closed up. He wasn't able to respond right away, feeling strange as his chest swelled and his palms began to sweat. Was it not long ago that he had been forced into some Duel, and now he was being swept away into another one?

He'd be fighting alongside Yugi, though. Yugi, who was the best player Jonouchi had ever seen and wouldn't lead him astray.

"Yeah, I'm playing, too," Jonouchi declared, puffing out his chest for effect, "Yugi and I are a team!"

"How much will you two gamble?" asked the brothers in unison.

Yugi laid down four, while Jonouchi did just two.

"When we get out of here, Jonouchi, we'll both be qualified for the semi-finals," alerted Yugi.

They'd each have ten-star chips. Jonouchi would be able to save his sister, and Yugi, his grandfather.

"But first you two must get past us," grinned one of the brothers, "And we are not an easy pair to get past. Are you ready?"

Jonouchi and Yugi took their places at the table, while their identical opponents each sat across from there. The table itself was oddly-constructed: the middle of it was cut out, the bottom scored in a grid. Two large gates stood before either brother, the kanji written upon them mirroring the two doors at the back of the room.

"I'll go first," the brother to the right said as he laid down a card. There was a rumbling sound, the table softly vibrating, and then all along the grid, various lines rose up in unison, forming…

"Another labyrinth," Yugi gasped as the walls set into place.

"This is the Labyrinth Field," one of the men said, "You'll have to get through that to win this Duel! But beware what lurks within its walls…"

Jonouchi had never seen anything like it. Not only had he never tag-team dueled before, but he'd never encountered a field quite like this.

"Allow me to properly explain the rules of this particular Duel," began the brother who played the card, "Turns are alternated by the team. We each have 2000 life points, but each of us is bound to our partners. If one loses all of his life points, then both partners shall die!

"Now, about this field - think of your monsters as chess pieces. If in attack mode, you can progress as many spaces as the number of stars on the card. If you manage to get through the dungeon and defeat us, then we'll allow you to open _one_ of the doors. Will you choose 'mei,' the Door of Deception, or 'kyuu,' the Door of the Palace?"

"Shit," Jonouchi hissed. How would they know which door to go for? This was just stupid. "What's your deal, huh? The deck's already stacked against us, and we're waging our lives, here! At least give us a clue!"

The brothers smirked their small mouths, a thin line across their broad faces. "If you insist... From now on, one of us will always tell the truth, and one of us will always lie."

 _Fucking fantastic._


	15. Chapter 15

0200

THE NIGHT PREVIOUS

She didn't have a choice, but Kaiba always made her own way, no matter what odds she had to face. Anyone who thought she could be led into a trap without acting did not understand what she was capable of.

Crocketts had his guard down. Before he could blink, Kaiba swung up her briefcase, letting it collide with his face, knocking him over and grabbing him to shove a gun into his face right as Saruwatari got in close to put his own gun in hers.

Despite all the action, Kaiba felt completely calm. She was far past feeling afraid. Only one thing mattered at that moment, one single goal. Nothing else, not even her safety, was of importance until she knew where Mokuba was.

Gasping in her grip, Crocketts appeared terrified as he gagged and drooled blood across broken lip. Kaiba didn't let up, her grip tight and unrelenting as Saruwatari grimaced.

"I remember you," started Kaiba with a small smirk, "Saruwatari, former Kaiba Corporation employee, am I right? It was my company that taught you how to use that gun. Did you ever finish the course?" asked Kaiba pointedly, shoving the tip of the barrel harder into Crocketts' temple, "I could teach you how to fire right now..."

"Put the gun down," choked out Crocketts as he spat out a broken tooth, sweat beading across his face, "Look at her eyes. She means it. She'll do it."

Saruwatari dropped his gun, the weapon falling onto the pavement. It clattered before his feet, abandoned.

"Good. Now pick up my briefcase and take me to my guest room."

They stayed there all night into late afternoon, Kaiba shoving Crocketts' head into her briefcase, gun at the ready. Sitting down and crossing her legs, she pressed down on the briefcase, crushing the man's face as her patience began to wane. Nothing diverted her attention: not food or water. There was no other desire outside of getting Pegasus's undivided attention.

"I'm getting sick of waiting."

Crocketts was screaming while on his knees, unable to move. The guards were outside the door, unsure of what to do - they were all sure she'd shoot if provoked. They had already been warned that if they tried coming inside, Kaiba would snap her hostage's neck.

She had taken all of her best cards out of the case.

It had been nearly fourteen hours and Kaiba was starting to feel the wear of waiting, her desire to sit still beginning to finally falter when a TV monitor in the guest room flickered on.

"Hello, Kaiba dear," announced a cheery voice, "My staff tells me you've been having quite the tantrum in my house for the past couple of hours. Threatening to kill some of my guards, how naughty of you. Tsk tsk tsk..."

"Enough, Pegasus," hissed Kaiba, her face darkening as she bore her gaze at the screen, "I've waited long for you to finally show your face. I know you tried to take my company and have Mokuba captive. Give him back."

"Of course," smiled Pegasus, "Under one condition."

"What is it?"

"You should know what it is," Pegasus continued as he gestured with his hands and looked away from the camera as if amused by Kaiba's answer, "You and he are like polar opposites, yet I can't help wondering what will happen if you two meet again. Who will triumph? You didn't think you could come back to this island without competing, Kaiba, did you?"

"Excuse me," laughed Kaiba darkly. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying you must defeat Mutou Yugi in a duel if you ever hope to see your precious baby brother again..."

* * *

It was just a tiny slip of paper, hastily torn from a notebook. Two words and three numbers scratched out in pencil. He'd crumpled it in his grip, holding onto it too tight, but Jonouchi didn't dare risk losing the note. Obtaining it had already been embarrassing enough, although he couldn't exactly pinpoint why it had been so important to him.

 _Domino General 302._

He'd been so distracted on the way over, head filled with things he wanted to say, or thought he wanted to say, that he'd nearly been run over by an incoming ambulance as he reached the hospital. Wouldn't that have been his luck. Maybe they would have placed him in the next room from hers.

Jonouchi snorted at the thought.

He felt out of place on the elevator ride up, uncertain in his own skin. Jonouchi had retreated to the back corner upon entering, staring at his worn-out sneakers as the floors ticked by. He was thankful that she'd been placed on one of the lower floors. Hospitals made him feel distinctly uncomfortable. They were full of the sick and dying, stunk of death and antiseptic, and were lit by lights that made people's skin look dead. Hospitals and clinics had become a regular part of Jonouchi's childhood ever since his sister had been diagnosed and their parents had still been together.

The elevator dinged, its doors rolling back slowly. Jonouchi pushed himself off from the back wall, ambling through them as they began to close. He was immediately greeted by a nurses' station, but after a quick, cursory look around, he'd spotted it.

302.

The door was cracked open, so Jonouchi slid through, quietly dropping his book-bag onto one of the visitor chairs. The window curtains had been pushed back, allowing the soft afternoon sunlight to stream through. All kinds of monitors were alive and active, flashing and beeping steadily. Cords twisted and looped across the floor and up the bed, disappearing under light green blankets.

And there she was. Kaiba's eyes were closed, her chest gently rising and falling with each shallow breath. She didn't move, didn't stir at all - she was so still, she looked like a doll that had been tucked in and laid to rest. Jonouchi felt a strange wave of disappointment wash over him.

Kaiba was still in a coma.

Looking around nervously, Jonouchi carefully shut the door and sat down heavily on the other unoccupied chair, dragging it closer to the bed. Its metal legs ground across the tiles, and Jonouchi instantly felt stupid, but maybe Kaiba couldn't hear it.

Her eyes opened instantly, though.

"You're not Yugi."

"Uh, no, I'm not," Jonouchi began, caught unaware. "Wait, you're awake! Did you just wake up? Should I get a nurse…"

"No..."

Kaiba closed her eyes again, focusing on the back of the room's wall once she reopened them, not really moving and her face neutral. "I woke up a few days ago... Why are you here?"

Jonouchi clasped his hands together, elbows resting on thighs, his thumbs fiddling. "Um, I guess, I uh- I thought I should check to see how you're doing."

"Why would you want to do that?" Kaiba sighed before closing her eyes as if asleep again, only her visible pulsing vein on her neck indication that she was tense while speaking, "You were one of the classmates I tried to kill. Yugi's friend, the boy who sat behind me in study hall. Jonouchi Katsuya. You shouldn't be here."

"Guilty as charged," Jonouchi laughed weakly, awkwardly. His insides were squirming, and he simultaneously felt the urge to bolt and the weight of being chained to his seat. "I guess I was just worried. And curious. I don't know. Because I hadn't heard anything - not even on the news."

"Worried for someone who tried to murder you? How strange," muttered Kaiba, "You and your best friend both."

Wasn't that the truth. "I don't even know, either." His smile felt thin. "You've seen him, then, since you've woken?"

"Only once," answered Kaiba quietly. "But the nurses have told me that he's been coming regularly. I don't quite understand why, but it's something to look forward to. Yugi likes to play games."

A troubled look came across Kaiba's features as she peered out towards the window, as if she were somewhere else entirely.

"He always comes and plays his games, although I normally just watch."

A terrible, irrational feeling clawed its way up Jonouchi's throat but just as quickly died. Yugi had known. Known that Kaiba was awake. Why hadn't he said anything? Or had he been waiting for Jonouchi to ask, knowing it would happen, wanting him to find out for himself?

"Yeah, that sounds like him," Jonouchi agreed, his smile now less forced. "It's always a new one each week. Sometimes I can't even keep up with all the new rules."

"Games are easy, predictable, and follow a pattern that can be applied and understood. Once you understand the rules, it all becomes rather simple..."

"I suppose," Jonouchi chuckled, "Although only if all the players agree to play fair."

Kaiba went silent again, as if somewhere else.

Jonouchi felt his smile begin to falter, an odd tightness collecting in his spine. "But life is just one big game, isn't it? And we all know life isn't fair…" He laughed, feeling absurd and stupid. "What am I even saying?"

Kaiba still didn't move. Jonouchi shifted in his seat. "Where's Mokuba? Honestly, I'm surprised I found you here alone…"

"He has school right now. I don't see him until late just before night fall, when he's done studying with his tutors.

"I don't want him to see me like this, anyways."

"What are you saying? I still think you're beautiful. Even if you aren't well yet." The words tumbled out before Jonouchi could think to stop them.

Shit. Fuck. _Shit_. Maybe she didn't hear it.

Kaiba turned a very pointed gaze towards Jonouchi, her lips silent but eyes saying it all. It had come out of nowhere, and she appeared just as surprised by the outburst as Jonouchi was for saying it.

"What? Everyone knows you're the best-looking girl at school," Jonouchi mumbled. His cheeks were burning, his heart hammering in his chest.

"I was aware of that," admitted Kaiba without a hint of embarrassment, "But I wasn't prepared for someone to admit so much to my face." She had a hint of a smile now despite not looking Jonouchi in the eye any longer. "Just to clarify, I don't want Mokuba to see me looking pathetic in a hospital bed, being useless to the world. He doesn't need to see me like this, at my worst, after everything I put everyone through... It would be better if he'd forget."

His heart began to slow back down to normal. "Kaiba, you're recovering. You were comatose for _six months_. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

"There's plenty to be ashamed of. You and Yugi both want to spare my feelings, but I'm not delicate, and I understand completely what I tried to do to you and your friends. I'll have that scarred memory forever, and Mokuba had seen it...

"I promised myself that I would do my best to shelter him from the worst things in this world, yet I couldn't save him from my own self."

"Do you regret it?" asked Jonouchi hesitantly.

"Yes."

"Then cut the pity party. People are allowed second chances," Jonouchi declared. "Sure, what happened was shitty and beyond fucked up, but it's not like I have any room to judge you. Everyone has done something awful they regret. You'll carry those burdens with you until the day you die. But you can choose whether they'll weigh you down or not."

Kaiba rolled her eyes, appearing frustrated as her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth appeared to have tightened just marginally.

"I have betrayed the trust of my brother," she muttered softly, "The only thing that matters to me in this whole world. What would you know of that kind of pain I put Mokuba through?"

"...I only know that moping about it won't make it any better. I'm sure the kid's just happy to have his sister back and getting better. So stop making yourself into your own punching bag."

Kaiba chuckled. "It's what I do best."

"Then get another hobby," Jonouchi laughed back darkly. It was advice he was still learning himself, but Jonouchi knew he was far from perfect. But he had friends, now - was surrounded by good people - and was finally on the right path after a long detour.

"Maybe," answered Kaiba as she finally turned her face enough to look at Jonouchi in the eyes. "But it's hard to start a hobby when you are still stuck in bed rest.

"Yugi never forced me to talk so much..."

Jonouchi laughed then, the first real laugh he'd given since he'd entered the room. "Yugi's a far more considerate person than I am. Socialization is good for you." He leaned back in his seat slightly, finally beginning to relax. He studied the face that was observing him: while she'd lost a not-insignificant amount of weight (and had always been so thin to begin with), she still really was quite beautiful. Still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

"You know…" he ventured, then thought why not - to hell with it. "You think you're so smart, that you've got everyone fooled. But I'd put money on it that you're a good person, deep-down. You wouldn't care so much about your brother if it wasn't true." He took a deep breath, exhaled it slowly through his nose, and stared right into her eyes. "It seems weird to say this, but - I think I can forgive you, Kaiba."

Jonouchi reached for Kaiba's hand, feeling more confident after his admission, a weight lifted from his shoulders as he felt himself smiling. It was a relief. He wasn't capable of hate; it was too heavy an emotion to harbor inside himself, and it made everything so dark and uncomfortable. He wanted to forgive, like Yugi had forgiven him.

Just when Kaiba offered her hand, though, Jonouchi blinked, the sun hitting hard against his face and the sound of his friends' gasps of disbelief bringing him rapidly back into reality. Yugi was standing next to him, his eyes wide and body tense. Everything in him looked beyond alarmed, and Jonouchi could make out Anzu's words.

"Look-" she cried out, pointing as the entire group stared, "it- it's Kaiba. She's blocking the entryway."

And although it was hard to see her so far up the staircase above them all, Jonouchi could feel Kaiba's dark blue eyes burning through the space at Yugi's direction, the both of them locked on each other in an eerie manner that gave him goosebumps.

She was standing alone, arms crossed, coat billowing behind her in the wind. Despite being a woman, she appeared imposing, an unstoppable force that just stared down at all of them like they were insignificant. Just another barrier for her. Another thing to use, like one of the cards in her deck.

Not one glance was spared Jonouchi's way. All her attention was directed towards Yugi. Jonouchi was once again, ignored.

* * *

 _Yugi...we meet again._

Kaiba stared down from her perch atop the castle's steps, her stern gaze passing over every single person until it finally stopped upon Yugi's face. He seemed almost surprised to see her there, although he shouldn't have been. They were connected, Kaiba was sure of it. There was no other explanation why the two Duelists were so similar in skill and confidence, Yugi being the only challenger Kaiba had ever struggled fighting against.

It was exciting. Almost invigorating. But at that moment, there was far too much at stake for the game to be even remotely fun.

Not with her brother on the line. Her company. Kaiba's livelihood and life's work.

The pack climbed up the stairs, Yugi seeming determined in speaking with her. That was fine. Kaiba had predicted as much. She needed her Duel against him, and she meant to make him commit to it, any way possible.

"What's the big deal, Kaiba," barked the rude blond one, who brushed past Yugi and nearly stood up right against Kaiba's chest, although she didn't allow herself to become intimidated, "Get out of the way."

She just curled her lip, glancing at him before staring darkly at Yugi's profile.

"Jonouchi, let me handle this," interrupted Yugi gently before raising a hand to push him aside.

It made Kaiba smirk just slightly.

"Kaiba," he started, his voice sounding strained and his eyes nearly as intense to match Kaiba's own, "please let us through."

"Can't do that," Kaiba answered curtly. "I knew you'd beat the other Duelists on this island and gain ten star chips. I counted on that much." She glanced at Yugi's glove approvingly. "But you should have predicted this outcome, Yugi. We'd meet again. I am the only one who can defeat you, and if you wish to get inside Pegasus's castle, you must go through me first.

"As long as one of us is alive, each of us will be the thorn in the other's side. Meet me in the battlefield and show me what you're made of."

"Who do you think you are," Jonouchi growled as he shook a clenched fist. "Yug' and I each earned ten star chips. That means we have a _right_ to enter the castle. What are you, some crony gatekeeper for Pegasus? Step aside - we don't have to prove anything to you."

Kaiba looked down at Jonouchi's glove, choosing to ignore most of what he said. "Ten star chips," she appraised with a smirk, "how adorable. Good to see that riding on Yugi's coattails is finally getting you somewhere. It's a miracle, in a way."

The more Jonouchi twisted up, the more wider Kaiba's smirk grew.

"If it makes you feel better, how about I promote you from loser to deadbeat? Sounds more appropriate now, doesn't it?"

"Kaiba," Yugi interrupted, placing a hand on Jonouchi's shoulder, "this is _our_ battle. Leave the others out of it." He looked at her directly, his eyes dark and piercing. "I accept your challenge. Lead the way."

Turning quickly, Kaiba lead Yugi towards a passage up to the top of a tower, where she planned to stage her victory. She'd have to win, for Mokuba's sake. It was the only way.

Maybe that was why Yugi had won during Death-T. He had been fighting for something...someone. Kaiba had nothing but her own venom driving her, and maybe that emptiness had been the reason why she'd lost. Did fighting for love, with passion and determination, make the difference in victory or failure? Would the weight of protecting someone change the outcome?

Kaiba could only hope so.


	16. Chapter 16

"I won, Yugi." There was a cold breeze blowing from the ocean, whipping Kaiba's coat around, but she ignored it. "You showed weakness at the end."

It had been a close match. She felt exhausted, nearly ready to fall over. She wanted to fall into her dark place, to retreat deep into herself and be alone and safe... But now was not the time. Not while being surrounded by strangers and not while her brother was still waiting to be rescued.

Pegasus had him chained up in a dungeon, like some prisoner. _Mokuba was a prisoner._ For as long as Kaiba could remember, as soon as someone had the chance, they had always used Mokuba against her. As bait, as leverage, as security, and as a whipping boy. It was a continual battle to shield him of the terribleness of the world, a fight Kaiba felt herself continually failing to win.

He was locked up, alone and ignorant to her effects to return. The nerve of Yugi's friends to think she should have felt bad for doing whatever was necessary to win. F _uck them._ Yugi lacked the courage and determination to do whatever possible to win battles, and in the end, it unraveled his shot at victory.

It wasn't a win Kaiba felt good about, but she'd accept it. At this point, she needed it, and there would be other times for a rematch. Yugi was destined to always be her top opponent, one way or another, so they'd meet each other again. Kaiba was confident in that.

"Yugi, you could have won..." began Kaiba, her voice soft at first before she found her inner strength, "But you lacked the stomach to do what was necessary. You shouldn't have shown me mercy. A battle is a battle."

And there would be no peace without bloodshed first. Kaiba had seen that first hand, over and over again. It was a lesson Gozaburo had given her when he lied crumbled against the sidewalk below Kaiba Corporation Tower, skull fractured with his dull cow-like eyes wide open in death. He had lost and he had died, and that's all there had been to it.

Accepting defeat meant accepting the end of one's very existence, and Kaiba was ready to place herself on the edge of it to win. She'd always had to since she had first been adopted. Maybe even before then.

"You shouldn't cry over it," Kaiba continued much quieter this time, only focusing on Yugi's broken figure as he knelt on the floor of the tower, tears and snot falling down his face as his entire body shook over and over again. This wasn't the Yugi Kaiba had known only minutes ago. This was just painful to watch.

"The Duel is over now. Get up on your feet and stop allowing yourself to become so pitiful. Are you really so strong, allowing yourself to fall apart like that? It's pathetic."

"You made him like this," Anzu argued as she marched forward angrily, shielding Yugi from view. "If you hadn't been so careless with your own life - what the hell is _wrong_ with you, Kaiba?"

"I did what I had to do to win," Kaiba answered back curtly. "A back seat cheerleader like you wouldn't understand."

"She's right, you know," Jonouchi stepped up, shaking a finger at Kaiba. "You owe him, now. Yugi saved your _life_ , which you were willing to toss away so easily. So don't act like you're above him, just because he sees the value in something you obviously don't."

"I don't owe Yugi anything," Kaiba spat back. "It was his decision to fall apart when he could have won, and if I were in his place, I would not have hesitated. I would win," Kaiba declared, her eyes burning as she looked down at Yugi directly, who was still hiccupping back tears.

"Because the consequence for not winning would be greater than death, and I could not live with myself having not done absolutely everything necessary to get where I need to be. A deadbeat like you, Jonouchi," said Kaiba as she turned her attention back at the accusing blond, who stood a little awkwardly at being directed, as if he wasn't prepared for it, "Wouldn't understand. Nor would I expect you to, so how about you mind your own damn business and help your friend before you find yourself without anyone to push you forward. Pegasus will eat you alive."

They were stunned into silence. The Anzu's eyes were wide, while the white-haired boy behind her looked uncomfortable. The remaining two idiots scowled at Kaiba openly, anger obviously coursing through their veins.

"Fine," Jonouchi announced, breaking the silence, "See how far that attitude will take you." The Duel Disk prototype clattered before her feet. "And take this piece of junk with you."

Kaiba picked it up wordlessly, not giving him the satisfaction of being upset before placing it into her briefcase and walking away. The prototype wasn't damaged, and that was all she cared about, really.

Briefly she turned back, looking Yugi in the eyes as he began to get ahold of himself. It was unbecoming of a champion to be so broken down like that, and Kaiba hoped never to see Yugi like that again. Turning away once more, she headed towards the front doors of Pegasus' castle, five more star chips in hand and her brother waiting for her somewhere inside.

* * *

They were running at full-speed down the castle steps, under a timed quest to replenish Yugi's lost star chips. It was nearly sundown, which meant they would be pushing it, but surely they'd find some other contestants to take down…

"It's pointless," Saruwatari barked as he watched them scramble, "He's already disqualified."

Disqualified? The group stopped dead, turning around the face the mammoth bodyguard. He was smirking in malicious self-satisfaction as he pointed to the sea. "That boat leaving carries all the Duelist who've failed in their mission...and their star chips with them. The finalists have already been determined, so give it up."

"What do you mean, 'determined'?" Jonouchi reeled, taking a few steps up back towards the castle.

Saruwatari's grin grew wider, a line of straight teeth showing. "Keith Howard was the first to enter the castle. The second is you, Jonouchi Katsuya. And the third left, saying she'd be bringing the last finalist with her. So you see? No more empty spots."

Shit... if what Pegasus's goon said was true, then what would they do? How would they ever get Yugi's grandfather back? Jonouchi still had a shot at saving his sister's vision, but... how could he still go forward, knowing the old man's life was at stake?

Wait. "What about Kaiba?" Jonouchi shot back, glaring at the guard, "How will she fight Pegasus if she isn't a finalist?"

"Kaiba is Pegasus-sama's special guest. There is no need for her to formally enter the tournament bracket."

Just what kind of shit was that, then? What had been the purpose of Yugi dueling Kaiba if Kaiba wasn't part of the tournament? Why did she even need the star chips? That made absolutely no sense. Unless.

It had just been another way for Pegasus to fuck with them.

Jonouchi could feel his anger rising, a tight ball of hatred forming in his chest. They were just being toyed with, for a maladjusted man's amusement.

But he couldn't just let Pegasus get away with it. No, Jonouchi refused to go by someone else's plan. He eyed the star chips that encircled his wrist; they flashed like embers in the dying light of the sun.

"Hey, Yug'," he said, turning to his friend, "I want you to have my star chips."

Yugi's eyes grew wide, his mouth dropping open in shock. Jonouchi would have laughed if he hadn't felt so numb. "I mean it. The only reason I got all this way was because you gave me a star chip at the very beginning. So these rightfully belong to you."

"I can't," Yugi replied, shaking his head, "Those are for _your sister_ -"

"There you are!" a loud voice interrupted. Oh great, Jonouchi internally groaned. Kujaku Mai again. Since she was still on the island, that meant she was the third finalist. So where was this fourth person?

Mai marched up to Yugi, a relieved smile on her face. "I thought I'd never find you, so I thought I'd come back here to wait." She briefly turned her attention to Jonouchi before her jaw dropped. " _You_ have ten-star chips!?"

Jonouchi rolled his eyes, unable to really find his fight. "Yeah, it's about to be just five in a few seconds."

"What do you mean?" Her eyes quickly glanced over to Yugi, finally taking in his somber appearance. "Yugi... you mean, you didn't get ten? What in the world happened?" When Yugi just remained quiet, Mai stepped over to him, all her playfulness turned serious. She extended her hand, palm up, revealing six shining star chips.

"Yugi, take these. I'm repaying my debt to you; I won't accept it if you're not in the finals with me. All that I ask in return is the chance to battle you there."

A chorus of encouragement erupted, but Yugi appeared unmoved.

"Thank you, but I can't," Yugi said, his voice barely above a whisper. He wasn't looking at any of them, his gaze turned down to the ground. "I was so selfish in that last duel... and because of that, I lost. I don't really trust myself to duel anymore, and I'm sure the Other Me wouldn't accept these, either…"

He couldn't take it anymore. Jonouchi surged forward, grabbing Yugi by the shoulders and giving him a light shake. "Snap out of it!" he cried, ignoring Yugi's stunned expression, "What do _you_ want to do? _He_ may be a good duelist, but that doesn't mean you're any less of one! Be selfish, for a change! Yugi, what's precious to you?"

Yugi's eyes grew wide, and Jonouchi vaguely sensed the others growing quiet around them, mere observers to the scene he was creating. He didn't care. "Things like pride and reputation... what do they matter? If that's what it means to be a true duelist, then I don't want anything to do with it! You fight for what's important to you - I'd crawl on my hands and knees through the mud if it meant being able to protect something precious to me.

"Your grandpa is waiting for you, so what are you waiting for?"

Suddenly, Mai was next to him, a hand lightly touching his arm. "Jonouchi's right, Yugi," Mai said, her voice very gentle. "I know I said I was just repaying a debt, but the truth is, I wanted to see you all again. Even after how I acted, you all still called me a friend. No one had ever done that before, and I felt so happy. So take these star chips as a token of my appreciation. You'll accept them, won't you?"

Yugi eyes the tiny metal stars in her hand almost warily. And then something in him changed - the fire was back, but it was unlike the determination his other aspect showed. This was _his_.

"Alright, then. I'll accept these star chips, Mai."

"You better," Jonouchi grinned, "'Cause if your other-self has any grief about it, I'm gonna kick his ass!" He started to jog up the steps eagerly, a trill of excitement spurring him forward. "So what're we waiting for? Race you suckers to the castle!"

* * *

'Show'?"

Seeing Bandit Keith's smug mug again so soon was one of the last ways Jonouchi wanted to end his long and arduous day. But Keith was paying no attention to Jonouchi and his friends, which alone was enough reason to divert their attention.

Across the railing, in the center of a raised dais, Kaiba stood, waiting. Seeing her felt like a stab in the gut, especially considering how they'd parted not even an hour prior. Jonouchi still felt beyond angry about her action during Yugi's Duel, but it wasn't something he could worry over now.

Kaiba was waiting for Pegasus.

Jonouchi didn't know what to think. He wanted her to lose, to feel humbled. If she won, it would probably mean fucking up the tournament for the rest of them - they who were the legitimate competitors in the finals. But he also wanted Pegasus to lose, to pay for all the shit he'd put them through, and especially for Yugi's grandfather. Kaiba winning also meant getting Mokuba back. But it _also_ meant just another way to rub her superiority in their faces.

" _It'll be me who defeats Pegasus_."

Even despite the story she'd told them, she stood tall and confident, unyielding. All of her focus converged on the man who'd finally shown himself to her. The creator of Duel Monsters. Kaiba believed in her capabilities, her technology, so much that failure never even seemed to appear as an option or possible outcome for her.

Jonouchi wished he was more like that.

He really didn't know what he was going to do, let alone how he'd really managed to make his way to the finals. It had always been a goal - part of his plan - but not many of his plans had ever come to fruition. And now he was standing in the same room as four of the best Duelists in the world and the very creator of the game they were all playing.

Did he really even stand a chance? He'd never even beaten Yugi in a practice Duel, just for fun. These Duels _mattered_.

Jonouchi felt another stabbing in his gut when Kaiba's little brother was paraded out in chains, his eyes lifeless. The poor kid looked like he'd gone through hell - Jonouchi didn't want to begin to know what sick things Pegasus must have done to him.

He was just a _kid_.

Knowing his own torrent of emotions, Jonouchi couldn't fathom the rage Kaiba must have been feeling that very instant. Pegasus had already humiliated her by treating her prototype as a toy and refusing to use it. This was just below the belt.

That he could have saved her from this anguish - saved them both - made Jonouchi feel like even more shit. If only he'd kept a closer eye on the kid. Something so simple to spare them both from so much hurt.

He felt worse than trash.

There was nothing to be done about it now. Kaiba and Pegasus were taking their seats at the table, and a cold dread crept across Jonouchi's shoulders. He didn't feel good about this Duel. It just didn't feel _right_.

It began innocuous enough. Kaiba started the game aggressively, diving right into attacking, while Pegasus just watched his cartoonish characters get taken out. And then it was like the rug had been pulled out from under everyone. Pegasus started to taunt Kaiba, predicting her moves and the cards in her hand, visibly throwing her off her game. His bizarre Toon World obliterated her strategies, and although she fought until the bitter end…

She'd lost.

Kaiba had run out of cards. There was no way for her to continue playing, even though she still had life points left. It was…

"Fucking bullshit!" Jonouchi yelled, slamming his fists against the railing. "There's no way you pulled that off without some weird shit going down!"

"Yeah!" Yugi agreed. "Admit it, Pegasus - you cheated."

Kaiba sat there, stunned. She was hunched in her seat, the disbelief clear on her face. And then slowly, for the first time since they'd entered the castle, Kaiba turned to them. Her usual sharp gaze was just a dull, unfocused blue. It was almost worse than how she'd looked after Death-T.

This was - utter defeat.

What happened next, Jonouchi knew he'd never be able to reason. Pegasus smiled, brushing back his long hair to reveal a golden implant. He lifted a card to his lips, as though he were kissing the back of it, and it was not a card Jonouchi ever remembered seeing in all his months of playing and learning the game. Almost immediately, Kaiba slumped over in her seat, head knocking against the table.

What. The. Fuck. Just. Happened. He didn't even know what he was screaming, he could barely register Yugi's arms grasping around his middle, his friend keeping him from careening over the edge of the railing. Everyone else around him seemed paused in time, frozen in place as they watched Pegasus's guards emerge and haul her body away. All the while, Mokuba had never reacted, never uttered a word, just shuffled after the entourage as they exited, his chains clinking softly against the floor.

"Pegasus!" The voice was authoritative, resolute. Yugi had that weird look about him. Ah, they had switched. "I won't forgive you," Yugi seethed, "I promise to destroy you."

"Alright, Yugi-boy," laughed Pegasus as he smiled and opened his arms wide as if about to receive an embrace, "You are certainly free to try!"

* * *

It was cold in his room. Shivering, Jonouchi tossed around, trying to pull the covers up over him, but no matter how hard he pulled, they wouldn't move. Grumbling to himself, he sat up and was surprised to see a dark figure sitting at the edge of his bed.

The weight pinning his covers was a person. Jonouchi rubbed at his eyes, a little unnerved at how unbothered he felt until they refocused in the dark.

Kaiba was staring away into the darkness, her eyes covered by the shadows that played on her long, thick bangs.

"I failed," she spoke softly, as if Jonouchi wasn't in the room, "I failed and he'll continue to suffer. I failed and no one will save my brother..."

"Pegasus cheated," Jonouchi replied vehemently, "I don't know how he did it, but there's no way that match wasn't rigged."

"He's all alone," Kaiba stated, finally turning her head to look at Jonouchi, her eyes rimmed red. Jonouchi didn't think Kaiba was even capable of crying, but it looked like she had tears trapped in her eyes. "Who's going to save him now? That's what matters."

" _I'll_ save him," Jonouchi insisted. "The finals are tomorrow, and-"

And then what? He'd seen first hand what Pegasus was capable of. It didn't matter that he was cheating. How would Jonouchi even begin to work around that?

"I was the one who was supposed to defeat him... the only one who could defeat him." Kaiba turned back to look across the room, her face darkening once more. "The Champion versus the Creator. Who else could have the power to stand up against someone like him? What makes you think someone like you, a complete nobody, could stand up against Pegasus?"

"I…" She was right. It'd been by the pure gift of luck that he'd made it this far. Jonouchi had no idea how luck would fare against someone who for all appearances knew the future.

Did he really have the power to save anyone? He hadn't been able to protect Kaiba's brother. It should have been so easy. Would he let his sister down in the same way?

"You are just a pawn in a rich man's game," warned Kaiba. "He wants Yugi. It's always been about _him_."

Yugi… Yes, Pegasus had been after him since the start. The prodigy. The upstart who'd dethroned the queen. It'd never been about Jonouchi.

He hadn't even been invited.

Jonouchi felt the cold fill him, the chill now coming from within. When he looked up again, Kaiba was gone, and he was alone in his room.

It had been a dream. He'd watched an unconscious Kaiba being carried away - there was no way that Pegasus would allow her to run around freely, even if she'd recovered from whatever he'd done to her. But Jonouchi couldn't get her words out of his head, even if Kaiba had never said them herself.

It had always been about Yugi... and it was Yugi who would have to save them all.


	17. Chapter 17

Dueling after Yugi had been both a blessing and a curse. Watching Yugi and Mai go at it was exhilarating, yet it also made Jonouchi realize just how over his head he really was in this tournament. Mai claimed that she'd given her all during their Duel and Jonouchi found it hard to believe that he could do the same and win.

He was an amateur - no natural like Yugi. Everything he'd accomplished up until this point had been by luck. And bull-headed determination, but mostly luck. He'd be going up against Bandit Keith, a complete unknown… At least if it had been Mai, Jonouchi might have felt better prepared.

But comfort was a dangerous thing.

At least he didn't have to duel Yugi first. But the real blessing came from an unexpected source of compassion - the woman who'd labeled herself as his enemy once again as they'd entered the castle. Without her Honor of the King's Right, Jonouchi would've been stopped before he'd even started. How he'd lost the card Yugi had given him, he had no idea, although he did have a sneaking suspicion… If he carried even the slightest tinge of guilt for knocking Bandit Keith to the floor the previous night, Jonouchi felt completely absolved now. Justified, even.

Jonouchi had never met a player quite like Bandit Keith before. Dueling him had felt... slimy, as though Jonouchi was participating in some underhanded, dirty battle. Nothing about it had felt right, but he'd managed to pull through. By the skin of his teeth, and some very fast thinking, and yes - a lot of luck. But a win was a win - one step closer to defeating Pegasus, to recovering Yugi's grandfather and getting Shizuka's surgery money, and... perhaps even rescuing the Kaiba siblings.

It was between him and Yugi, now. Jonouchi had dove in head-first into all of his Duels, and somehow he'd always managed to make it work, but now was not the time for winging it. If they were to beat Pegasus, they would need expertise and an airtight strategy.

He wasn't ready for it. Having that responsibility, so many people's lives on his shoulders… It hurt to admit, but Jonouchi knew he wasn't the right man for the job. He felt so horribly conflicted: it was cowardly to cave to the pressure, to shove off that responsibility onto someone else. It wasn't what real men did. Real men rose to the occasion. But wasn't it also the responsible thing, the brave thing, to own up to failings and shortcomings head-on, to not jeopardize others out of pride?

And this was all based on a big if: if he'd even be able to get by Yugi.

Jonouchi was lucky, but he didn't think he wanted to test his luck that far. He'd already stretched it pretty thin over the past two days. It was time to let it rest after all that abuse.

"Yugi," he finally said after coming down from his victory high, "We're up next, huh."

Yugi smiled at him. Jonouchi didn't think anyone had ever looked at him so proud. "That we are."

Jonouchi returned the smile, although sheepishly. "I hate to disappoint you, but would you mind if I left the rest to you?" Yugi's gaze instantly turned sharp, but Jonouchi cut him off before he could speak, "Look, of the two of us, you're the only one who can defeat Pegasus. I mean, if Kaiba couldn't get anywhere with him, then I don't stand a shadow of a chance. This entire thing is much bigger than you and me now, and I don't want to be the reason why people continue to get hurt."

"I understand, Jonouchi. With everyone's support, I know I can defeat him. I'll save my grandpa, and I can help your sister, too."

"I'm sorry, Yug'. I feel like all I ever do is weigh you down with my baggage."

"That's not true at all," smiled Yugi, catching Jonouchi's gaze and holding it. "You taught me a lot, Jonouchi. I wouldn't be as strong as I am now if you hadn't been such a good friend, and I _wanted_ you to become a great duelist. I'm proud to have helped you on your way, so don't ever feel like a burden. You're not."

"You think too highly of me, but I appreciate it all the same," Jonouchi laughed. He felt around in his pocket, producing the handkerchief and the card held within. "Then this is yours," Jonouchi said as he handed over the card Mai had given him.

"Don't worry, Jonouchi-kun," said Yugi as he graciously took the card into his hands, still smiling despite the seriousness of the moment, "I'm going to win for everyone: for my grandpa, your sister, and the Kaiba siblings. I'm going to save everyone and make Pegasus pay for what he did. Just stay with me, okay?"

"You don't even have to ask," he replied, grinning. Jonouchi knew long ago that he'd follow Yugi anywhere. Back when he'd retrieved that puzzle piece from the pool…

"I'm going to need all the support I can get now!"

The small reprieve they had didn't last long. Soon Jonouchi stood on the sidelines, watching from the balcony as Yugi stood on one end and Pegasus on the other. He felt all tight throughout his body, the tension feeding off from everyone in the gathering: Mai, Honda, Ryou, Anzu, and himself. Jonouchi wanted to believe that Yugi would win within the next hour and everything would be over, but the nagging suspicion of more theatrics wouldn't stop ticking in the back of his mind.

Pegasus didn't look prepared to give up. He met Yugi at the Battle Box, as genial as ever, before they cut their decks and sat down to begin.

It went as well as could be expected at first, Pegasus using his Toon World and Yugi defeating it since having seen it after Kaiba had played before. From where Jonouchi stood, it was clear that Pegasus was just toying with Yugi, as if trying to test him out. He wasn't really trying, and Yugi seemed irritated as the duel continued until something finally snapped and Pegasus went into high drive.

And then something truly bizarre happened. Yugi's Magical Hats were out, and both duelists had paused. Pegasus looked genuinely perplexed, while the Yugi who stared back at him... wasn't the same Yugi who'd begun the duel.

They had switched. And kept switching.

That was it - the key to defeating Pegasus's mind reading! Jonouchi couldn't contain his excitement. The Yugis' mind shuffle was _working_ , Pegasus becoming increasingly unhinged as the duel continued. Both minds worked perfectly in tandem, their hearts unified in trust. _This_ is what it meant to be a true duelist.

Pegasus, though, wasn't about to go down without a fight, or at least without getting his hands even dirtier. He'd suddenly announced the start of something called a "Shadow Game," but to Jonouchi, nothing looked different. Yugi and Pegasus still sat at opposite sides, the table still projecting their monsters' holograms. The room didn't grow any darker, either, so what the hell was Pegasus going on about? On the brink of defeat, had he finally lost it?

Although he was winning, Yugi didn't look so well. With each switch, Pegasus began to pick up traction, and Yugi's eyes started to glaze, his body swaying in his seat. It was alarming, but there was no outward cause - was it because of that weird Shadow Game thing?

Then, like Kaiba, Yugi keeled forward, his head landing on the table as he lost consciousness. Pegasus, in contrast, didn't appear troubled at all; in fact, he seemed _satisfied_. He wore his smile openly, his false eye gleaming and no longer hidden behind a curtain of long hair.

"Yugi! What's the matter!?" Jonouchi screamed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped onto the railing.

"His soul is dead," Pegasus announced. There was no emotion: no guilt, remorse, sadness, or shock. He said it as though he'd been expecting it, as though it was an inevitable outcome of the duel.

"Shut the hell up, Pegasus!" He was lying. He had to be. "Yugi! Hey man, wake up! Yug'!" But his friend didn't move - he was so still - it didn't even look like he was breathing.

Jonouchi felt like throwing up. "Look!" Anzu cried beside him, and Jonouchi was stunned to see Yugi raise his head, gathering up his cards… Only it wasn't his Yugi; it was the other personality.

"I'll never forgive you, Pegasus," the Other Yugi hissed, his eyes ablaze with fury.

"It's game over for you, Yugi-boy. Your mind shuffle technique will no longer work," Pegasus merely smiled back.

"He's not dead, though," Anzu breathed, barely above a whisper.

"What do you mean?" Honda asked her, "How do you even know?"

"Well…" Anzu looked away. She seemed uncomfortable divulging the information, her eyes now locked on the battle. "Yugi told me, a while ago. As long as one of them lives, so does the other. Their existences depend on the other."

"So because the Other Yugi's still here…" Hope sprung in Jonouchi's chest. "Our Yugi is still alive." But how could they help them? Yugi was out there, fighting for his life, and all they could do was stand around and watch as the duel unfolded. Jonouchi had never considered himself very religious or even spiritual, but he began to pray.

Yugi's 400 life points to Pegasus's 800. It wouldn't be long before a victor was crowned. Pegasus's Relinquished was still terrorizing the field, but Yugi remained unfazed. Pegasus's taunts bounced off him, his smirk never faltering.

"Patience, Pegasus. I still have this face-down card to play. The card my other self left, our trump card: Dark Magic Ritual!"

It emerged like a demon summoned from hell. Inky black hair spilled from beneath a wide headdress, the magician's body wrapped in intimidating-looking straps and buckles. It was lithe and moved in flickers, its long staff curved like a scythe.

And Yugi had given it the oddest of companions: a multitude of Kuribohs as a living shield. Instead of sucking in Yugi's Black Magician of Chaos, Relinquished became clogged by the hundreds of Kuribohs, imploding from within.

With just a hundred points to spare, Yugi won the duel. The Challenger had bested the Creator. With this, the hostages would be released. Shizuka would have her surgery.

Pegasus appeared spent. He was breathing hard, hair wild as he dropped his face into his hands and stared at the card game table in front of him.

"You lost, Pegasus," Yugi declared, gathering up his cards and straightening up in his seat, "Return everyone's souls back before I obliterate you."

Pegasus picked up two cards. Jonouchi couldn't see from so far away, but he saw Pegasus nod his head in compliance. "I'll keep my promise," he replied, "And you'll get your prize money."

Yugi didn't speak. He stood silent, as if staring Pegasus down while the man flinched.

"I've never seen a body with two souls before," Pegasus explained, "Is that the power of the Puzzle? To have two souls?"

"I hardly know," spoke Yugi.

"Do you not know about the evil presence within the Millennium Items, then?" asked Pegasus.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jonouchi saw Ryou abruptly still, but he was straining too hard to hear to think too much about it. An evil presence? Jonouchi knew evil. But the entity living within his best friend - he didn't believe it was bad. Sometimes he felt a terrifying power emanating from Yugi after a switch, and sometimes Yugi's normally bright purple eyes took on a reddish tint, but there was no way whatever was inside him was malicious.

He had saved Jonouchi too many times to be bad.

"Tell me, Pegasus, how and where did you get your Millennium Eye? For what aim do you possess it?" Yugi somehow looked older, as though he wasn't even a creature of this time. There was barely a trace of the softness or light that the normal Yugi bore.

Pegasus spilled his secrets. He spoke of a romance and how it was destroyed by illness and death, but Jonouchi hardly cared about the man's pain. The woman had been dead a long time, and Pegasus was a heartless monster. He'd not only kidnapped Yugi's innocent grandfather and Kaiba, a teenage girl, but Mokuba... a mere child.

What kind of person did that sort of thing? Even if it was for "love"?

Jonouchi didn't pay attention to the details. There were more concerning things going on at hand, and while Pegasus continued on with his story, Jonouchi peeled away from the group.

He needed to find the Kaiba siblings.

Jonouchi didn't know where he was going, though. No one stopped him as he ventured, going into the guest suites as he opened doors and looked around. As Pegasus's guest competitor, he'd been too afraid to go snooping around much (or so boldly), but now no one looked like they were even going to try and stop him. He opened and shut several doors, becoming infuriated after a while before he finally reached the last one.

The door opened easily and Jonouchi walked in, taking the sight of the room before finding a figure on the bed, like that of a young pre-teen boy. When Jonouchi got closer, he realized it was Mokuba, still asleep in a coma.

"You gotta be kidding. That lying bastard."

When Jonouchi ran to the bed, grabbing Mokuba by the shoulders, the kid woke up abruptly, his eyes wide open as he screamed in Jonouchi's face.

"Where's my sister," he began, nearly belligerent, "Get out of my way, I need to go back to take care of her." Mokuba tried to jump out of the bed, but Jonouchi caught him by the arm, dragging him back and forcing him to sit down.

"Your sister is fine," Jonouchi started, "Yugi's won against Pegasus. It's all over. Everyone is safe. I just found you finally, so please, don't go taking off just yet."

Mokuba blinked, tilting his head thoughtfully before relaxing a little. "What about Kaiba Corporation," he asked, "Is that safe, too?"

"Pegasus lost, so I presume it will be... Kaiba's got to be back here somewhere."

"She's on the island?" asked Mokuba with hope. "... I need to find her."

Suddenly Yugi and company piled into the room, Anzu gasping when she saw Mokuba sitting there on the bed, appearing back to normal. "You're alright!" she cried out, giving him a crushing hug, and everyone was all smiles as Mokuba rolled his eyes.

"Of course I'm alright," he snorted, wiping at his nose before sniffling, "I'm a Kaiba. I can take care of myself."

Now it was Jonouchi's turn to roll his eyes. "Don't be a brat. Let's go try to find your sister."

* * *

They looked for what felt like hours. Ryou had split from the group as they searched, Jonouchi, Yugi, and Mokuba looking in one area of the castle as Honda and Anzu looked through another. None of the guards or staff were helpful, and after a while, it almost seemed hopeless.

Mokuba had been calling out Kaiba's name repeatedly, his voice going hoarse as he went along the outside of the castle. Everyone else just sort of stuck by, looking around and trying to call out Kaiba's name, but it didn't seem like it was doing any sort of good. It was getting dark, and after Jonouchi's stomach grumbled, he looked up towards the castle wishfully thinking about food before his eyes widened.

There was a familiar figure standing on the steps, coat blowing from behind.

"Kaiba?"

Mokuba wheeled around, looking up as his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Seto!" he screamed, running up towards the giant staircase, "You're back! Seto, I've missed you!"

Despite being small, Mokuba somehow ascended the steps in a matter of seconds, colliding with Seto's outstretched arms and fixing her into a tight hug as Seto returned the embrace.

It was a strange thing, almost, yet so familiar. Jonouchi could feel his eyes begin to sting as he thought about his own sister, trying to stifle back a tear before feeling a bump on his shoulder.

"Please don't tell me you're crying," snorted Honda, "Over those two, seriously?"

"Oh shut up," answered Jonouchi. He hardly knew where the tears came from. It had almost been easy for him to cry, and watching Mokuba latch onto Kaiba so entirely and not let go as they both spoke to each other. Watching Kaiba stroking his hair made him realize so many things.

Mokuba loved his sister deeply. Their bond was unlike any other Jonouchi had ever seen, and it made his stomach clench uncomfortably as he watched them finally separate. Kaiba crouched down on one knee and said something to Mokuba that was too soft to hear, but Mokuba was clearly trying not to cry as he nodded his head and wiped away his tears.

Suddenly Kaiba was normal again, the gentleness gone as she turned her attention towards Yugi.

"For now, Yugi, I owe you for saving my brother," she stated, her face neutral and eyes piercing as Yugi nodded his head in understanding. "But make no mistake, we will have our battle one day soon. Our true battle. Then we'll see who really is the best between us."

Yugi just nodded again, looking serious yet determined, almost as if he was looking forward to the challenge. Jonouchi found himself feeling almost angry. She barely said her thanks and immediately went on about her vendetta. What was with that girl?

"We're gonna go back on our private helicopter!" yelled out Mokuba as he grinned at the group, obviously looking to incite jealousy.

"I don't think I've seen a boat here, though," noted Anzu.

Ryou came running, looking out of breath before he stopped in front of the group. "Oh, you found Kaiba," he smiled, turning most of his attention to Yugi. "I looked around and noticed there are no boats on the island. How are we supposed to get back home?"

A sense of panic fell upon them. Everyone looked around at each other, lost as to what to do before Jonouchi heard Mokuba speak up.

"Seto, we should take them back home. We can make enough room."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Kaiba said warily, but Mokuba shook his head.

"We owe them. Come on."

It was so horribly cramped. The door just barely closed, and Jonouchi was closest to the exit, crammed on the edge of four people, Mokuba and Kaiba sitting in the front two seats. He crossed his arms and pouted as the vehicle powered to life, staring out the window as he saw a figure running towards them.

"Hey, it's Mai!" Jonouchi cried out. "We gotta take her back, too."

"Fat chance. No more room in the inn," replied Kaiba sharply, but Jonouchi ignored her. He opened the door just as the helicopter began to rise, throwing out the steps ladder for Mai to grab onto. She took hold, bravely latching onto it as she began to climb, and Jonouchi smiled before he was caught off-guard by Kaiba's loud yelling.

"You idiot, you opened the door," she screamed as the entire helicopter tilted. Jonouchi was nearly shoved out of the thing as he yelled in a panic and Honda grabbed onto him for dear life. He had one arm out of the door, head in space, before he was pulled back inside.

Once Mai got on board, Jonouchi closed the door, locking it after rolling the ladder back up. Now there was no space whatsoever, and he had to make room near the back of Kaiba's seat, feeling glares coming his way as Mai smiled at him and gave him a wink.

Well, maybe the stupid idea was a good decision, after all. They were all going back to Japan, together. That was all Jonouchi could really hope for.


	18. Chapter 18

The stars were so bright against the pitch-black sky. Jonouchi felt like he could reach out and grab one, even though they were light-years away. He couldn't tell how late it was. What he could see of the dashboard was just a mess of controls and switches. He could barely even believe Kaiba was still alert enough to fly. Everyone else had passed out, soft snoring filling the tiny cabin. Jonouchi was surprised that he _didn't_ feel tired. Sure, there was mental drainage, and most of his lower body felt numb from being squished, and normally he was an early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of guy. By all accounts, he _should_ have felt more tired.

Jonouchi shifted minutely, attempting to relieve the pressure in his knees but careful enough not to wake the others. He didn't know how long they'd been in the air or how much longer before they would land in Domino, but part of him didn't mind at all. With everyone else fast asleep, it almost felt like he and Kaiba were alone.

She was rigid in her seat, eyes focused on the terrain outside the windshield, grip tight on the cyclic. Kaiba almost looked like she was in a trance, although Jonouchi knew that was the furthest thing from the truth. He sat silently still, tampering down the intense urge to fidget, and watched since there was nothing else to do. Kaiba barely moved, just the slightest tilting of her wrist to guide the helicopter along its path. And then, catching Jonouchi by surprise, she briefly rubbed at her nose, then adjusted her headset before removing it entirely.

"Hey," Jonouchi ventured quietly, "How are you holding up?"

Kaiba didn't even glance back. Her hands tightened their grip, her tension clear. "I thought everyone was asleep."

"It's just me." He fought back the compulsion to nervously laugh. "Um, are you getting tired at all?"

"No."

"That's good… Hey, thanks again for letting us all hitch a ride. I know you have a lot to deal with, and I know we weren't exactly on that list," Jonouchi said easily.

"It's what the kid wanted..." Kaiba was silent before a loud, frustrated sigh finally came out of her, "I'm not looking to have a conversation right now."

Jonouchi pressed on. He wanted to talk. What was the worst she could do? Just not talk back to him? It wouldn't be the first time. "He was worried sick about you, you know."

"I know."

"I'm glad you two found each other," Jonouchi said, the memory bringing a smile to his lips. "It was surprising, to say the least, to see him on the island like that. And then after the tournament was over, and we couldn't find you…

"But I guess it all worked out in the end."

"I suppose so," Kaiba answered neutrally as if she wasn't really paying much attention anymore to what Jonouchi was saying.

He went silent for a few moments, unsure of what to do. Kaiba was giving him the barest of acknowledgments, but his head felt both empty and spinning with thoughts at the same time.

"What will you do about your company?"

"It's not any of your concern," Kaiba answered curtly.

"You don't have to bite my head off," Jonouchi chuckled, careful not to jostle Honda beside him. "It's just that Yugi and I kind of got pulled into this whole weird thing between you and that Pegasus guy, so I was just curious."

"Try not to be next time, then."

"Fine. It's not a bad thing to let people in a little, you know. You won't die from losing a sliver of that air of mystery you like to keep about you."

This time, Kaiba didn't answer at all. Jonouchi didn't receive any kind of attention, neither negative nor positive, as he sat there feeling silly. Mai and Honda were sitting next to him, the both of them nearly sleeping in his lap somehow as Jonouchi sighed loudly in exhaustion.

Kaiba wasn't even trying to be pleasant. She was just barely civil, and probably only because she didn't want to wake anyone up from snapping at him.

Leaning onto the window, Jonouchi stared out into the darkness of the night. He felt so removed from the world. So very alone.

"Hey," he tried again, unable to stop himself, "That whole thing with Death-T… What happened back then?" He drummed his fingers against his knee nervously as he waited for a response he wasn't sure would ever come.

It was almost a minute before Kaiba finally answered, her breath catching before she spoke. "I wasn't feeling well. I lost sight of myself. It won't happen again."

Jonouchi turned back to her, catching her reflection on the windshield. "...Then _who_ _are you?_ "

Another two hours to freedom. The post-lunch blocks were always the worst, and Jonouchi tried stifling a yawn that he knew would earn a dirty look from Chouno-sensei. Study hall always seemed like a giant waste of time to Jonouchi. He never actually got any work or studying done, so it always felt like a chunk of his day spent as a prisoner to his desk.

Although it was a little ridiculous to be counting down the hours until school let out. It wasn't like going home was any better. Sometimes Jonouchi felt like walking through the door to his apartment was like playing Russian roulette - he never knew what situation he would be entering, especially on the days his father was home and not loitering around who-knew-where. But at least if he were outside the school's walls, he wouldn't be so damn bored.

Maybe he'd bum over to Yugi's after school. At least it would be something to do.

Returning to his mundane life after the adventure of Duelist Kingdom had been a let-down. Homework and note-taking and lectures just didn't compare to the thrill of dueling, of meeting new people who shared the same enthusiasm, riding on the waves of victory. Sure, some messed-up shit had gone down, but Jonouchi couldn't say that overall, at least, it hadn't been fun. Hanging out with friends under a canopy of stars…

His sister had gotten her surgery. Jonouchi had heard it had gone well, but he'd received no further progress reports after the initial one. The cold shoulder treatment kind of burned - he'd been the one who'd enabled the surgery to happen, after all - but sadly Jonouchi expected it. His sister had sent the video message in secret - his mother had never even contacted him to let him know what was going on. Apparently saving his sister's eyesight hadn't earned him many favorable points on the maternal side of his family.

Whatever. At least his mother was consistent.

And so life had returned to normal. The same had proven true for Kaiba.

As the weeks had passed, Jonouchi had found it progressively harder to believe Duelist Kingdom had even happened - that it hadn't been some wild figment of his imagination. Kaiba had gone back to ignoring him completely, not even acknowledging him to sling an insult his way. She didn't even flinch whenever he would carelessly drop a pencil, wouldn't move a centimeter when it rolled next to her foot. She sat in front of him _in this very class_ , yet in her world, he might as well not have existed.

It burned more than his mother's dismissal. Jonouchi had had consistent years of experience of that. Kaiba, though - he had thought that maybe she would have at least acknowledged him. He'd earned a spot in the tournament's semi-finals, after all. Seen a side of her not many were privy to. Her completely shutting him out like she was just felt like another way for her to rub his face in the dirt.

Some days he wished he could change seats. But then Kaiba would know that he was bothered, and Jonouchi refused to give her that satisfaction. It sucked, but he couldn't deny that he still felt painful stirrings in his chest whenever she entered the room. Or when the smell of her perfume would catch him off-guard. When her blue gaze would travel right past him.

It was hard not to think about her. She'd acted like a cold-hearted bitch during the tournament, but in hindsight, Jonouchi couldn't really blame her. Not only had Kaiba's livelihood been under attack (and probably her very life, given the other messed-up shit that had gone down due to Pegasus), but her brother had been endangered. The most important person in the world to her. Under those circumstances, Jonouchi and his group had been of no consequence to her. Had it been his sister on the line, Jonouchi couldn't say that he wouldn't have acted similarly.

But still. She didn't have to go back to acting like they didn't know each other at all. It just felt... beyond snobby. And to add insult to injury, she would only notice Yugi. Sure, he'd played a very large role in saving her and Mokuba, but... hadn't they all shared a little in that feat? Jonouchi tried not to let it get to him, but it was hard not to when Kaiba sat as a perpetual reminder right in front of him.

His thoughts kept traveling back to that night in the helicopter and their stilted conversation (if he could even call it that). Just who was she, anyway? The quiet and studious schoolgirl, the flirtatious deceiver, the maniacal nut job, the protective older sister… there were too many conflicting facets of her that Jonouchi wanted to figure out.

A small part of him still desired the chance to get to know her. Jonouchi knew that wasn't probably going to happen, thanks to many reasons, but he couldn't help the desire. The only person Kaiba ever bothered to speak to outside of her teachers was Yugi, and even that was in small doses. She barely paid anyone in class any attention, but sometimes she would glance at Yugi or speak to him in the hallway when the group wasn't surrounding him.

Jonouchi wondered what it was about, but he was too self-conscious to say anything. Yugi would probably ask why he was curious, and that would just lead to Jonouchi being all sorts of uncomfortable and awkward, potentially giving himself away.

Whenever he saw them talking together in the hallway, Jonouchi wished, even just for a moment, that he could be Yugi. To have Kaiba's undivided attention, if even for a moment, would have been something. Yugi didn't even have to try, it seemed. Kaiba approached him half the time, and Yugi seemed delighted in the attention. It took everything in Jonouchi not to feel burned, but sometimes he couldn't help it.

He shouldn't feel so jealous towards a friend.

Jonouchi hardly knew how to feel anymore. Sitting at his desk, he tried paying attention to the book in front of him, but it was boring and he could smell the floral scent on Kaiba's dark, straight hair. It was distracting, and finding himself unable to concentrate, Jonouchi sat back in his chair and sighed before trying to study again, drumming his fingers on the desk before he found himself being glared at by the students surrounding him.

Well, fuck it. Jonouchi just glared back. Thankfully, Chouno-sensei decided to go powder her nose for half an hour (as usual) and everyone relaxed into ditching their studies (except Kaiba).

"Oh Otogi-san, show us that trick from lunch you did!"

One of the girls had started talking to the new kid, who sat towards the back. Jonouchi hadn't really noticed before, but he had been in his Geometry class and apparently recently transferred. A bunch of classmates decided to gather around his desk, and interest piqued, Jonouchi tried to watch from afar.

He was doing some kind of dumb dice trick with a cup. Jonouchi could have sworn he'd seen that sort of thing done before, but the girls squealed and laughed, obviously enchanted.

Jonouchi could feel himself scowling. How could someone so stupid have it easy with girls? He could never get any sort of positive attention from women, it seemed, and besides maybe Anzu, no one wanted to deal with him. He couldn't remember the last time a girl looked at him like he was something more than an annoyance, and feeling indignant, he glared at Otogi as he laughed among the crowd of estrogen surrounding him.

What a showboat. At least Kaiba wasn't paying attention to his theatrics. Otogi was sneaking looks, Jonouchi noticed, but Kaiba didn't even spare him a glance. At least _something_ was still right in the world...

Bright green eyes were suddenly looking directly at him. "Hey, do you wanna play?"

Blinking rapidly, Jonouchi looked around the room before dumbly pointing to himself. "You mean me?"

"Sure," Otogi answered easily, "I saw you watching, so why not come over and test your luck?"

Jonouchi glanced over to the door before sliding out from his desk and dragging his chair over to Otogi. It wasn't like Chouno-sensei would be returning anytime soon - might as well kill some time.

Again Jonouchi felt eyes upon him. Kaiba was actually _looking_ at him, for a change. Was this really all it took to get her attention? "I gotta warn you, I'm a pretty lucky guy," Jonouchi smirked as he took a seat, "Even won against some professional players at the last Duel Monsters tournament."

"Well, let's just see if that luck translates over to dice," Otogi smirked back. "I have one dice here and one cup. Let's make this interesting and make a bet." Otogi dropped the dice into the cup and rattled it around before turning it over on the desktop. "The dice is covered, and there's nothing in my hands. I bet I can get the dice out without touching the cup. If I lose, I'll do anything you say for a week. But if I win, the reverse applies to you. How does that sound?"

Was this guy for real? What kind of bet was this? The dice was definitely in the cup, so how could he even manage that? "Yeah, why not," Jonouchi replied. It wasn't like Otogi had psychic powers or some shit.

"Are you sure? No going back, now. But I've already got the dice in my hand." Otogi pointed to his right fist and smiled.

No way. "Huh?" Did he have a dice hidden in his sleeve or something?

"I'm for real. If you don't believe me, then check."

Just as Jonouchi reached for the cup, Yugi started to speak, but it was already too late. Otogi had already snatched the dice up, grinning as he held it up in front of Jonouchi.

"See? I got the dice without touching the cup. You lost."

There was a loud snort from across the room. Jonouchi tried to ignore it, tried ignoring _whom_ it came from, but his face was already heating up. "You cheated! How does that even count?"

"You were dumb enough to show a weakness," Otogi announced airily, "Can't blame me for capitalizing on it. I never said _how_ I'd get the dice, did I?" Putting the dice away, Otogi reached back into his desk, producing a deck of cards. "I'll give you a rematch, though. Same rules apply, although if you lose again, it'll be for two weeks. You said you were good at Duel Monsters, so let's see if you're any good at regular cards."

It wasn't like he could back down now. Especially not with Kaiba watching him. "No more of your cheap tricks," Jonouchi warned.

"It's all part of gambling," Otogi said as he pulled out four cards. "Four aces: two black, two red. All you have to do is pick two of the same color, and you win!"

It seemed fair... how could Otogi cheat at this? There was a fifty-fifty chance, right? "Okay, I pick these two," Jonouchi declared as he slapped the two middle cards.

Black and red.

"Shit!" Another familiar snort. "One more time!"

The same results.

"Wow, Jonouchi it looks like luck just isn't on your side today," Otogi tsked. He gathered his cards and taped them back into place with the rest of the deck. "Now you're under my command for two whole weeks."

"It's not really a fair game," Yugi interrupted, giving Otogi a stern look. "Once you pick a card, it leaves you with only a one-in-three chance. It's misleading."

"Care to try _your_ luck then, Yugi?" There was something about Otogi's smile that Jonouchi didn't like.

Yugi's countenance seemed to change, his voice marginally deeper. "You're on."

Jonouchi didn't really understand how he did it, but by merely adding a Joker into the mix, Yugi was able to somehow undo whatever trick Otogi had been pulling. Game after game, Otogi kept losing, his face twisting with rage as Yugi continued to win.

"Jonouchi," Yugi addressed as Otogi finally gave up, "You didn't lose in a fair game, so you shouldn't have to abide by that bet."

"Yeah…" Jonouchi sighed. He stood to drag his seat back to his desk, mentally berating himself. Why couldn't he be as smart as Yugi? He glanced over to the opposite side of the room, careful not to knock the chair legs into any of the other rows of furniture.

Although she hadn't been looking, there was more of a smile than a smirk on Kaiba's face.

He wanted to say something to her, but Jonouchi doubted she'd respond. Kaiba would probably play mute and not give him the time of day, so Jonouchi just brooded in his seat, feeling silly as Otogi shot him glares for the rest of the class.

If only Jonouchi could save himself for once. Yugi was always stepping in for him. No wonder no one respected him, least of all, Kaiba.

The only person whose respect Jonouchi actually wanted.

God, he felt so stupid. He didn't want to remain the subject of jokes for the rest of his life. There was a time when people actually used to avoid him, out of fear. Yugi had been the dork kid no one gave the time of day, but in the last year, everything turned around. Jonouchi was thankful to have Yugi as a friend, and he would do anything for him, but at the same time, he missed being _someone._ Now he was exactly what Kaiba named him back in Duelist Kingdom.

A deadbeat.

Jonouchi didn't mean to get caught up with his father that Sunday morning, but it happened. The old man had stumbled in early in the morning, making a mess of things while being loud, and Jonouchi had about lost it. He had been asleep, dreaming good dreams for once, when the man had come in and slammed the door before turning on the radio and failing to make pancakes. The whole apartment reeked of burned food, and Jonouchi's morning had been ruined trying to put a small kitchen fire out.

He couldn't believe it.

All he had wanted was a quiet morning. The one day he didn't have to get up early to deliver papers. Jonouchi had planned on sleeping in and dreaming about dueling. Sometime before waking completely, he could remember seeing Mai again, her shrill laugh making him purse his lips, and then Kaiba, standing under a blanket of stars, before his father crashed in and broke him from sleep.

It could have been a really good dream. Instead, Jonouchi had missed breakfast from cleaning up and had to run to get to Yugi's place, where they were all supposed to meet up before going to the Black Clown to scope out the new DDM game that was coming out.

Apparently, no one knew what the game was about, but it was getting all kinds of local press. Jonouchi was interested; anything rare and popular could be pawned off, so it was worth checking out. Duel Monsters was the only thing he really cared about, but any chance to make some extra money was something Jonouchi was determined to investigate.

He felt so bad getting there late. As usual, Anzu immediately started ragging on him, but Jonouchi just blew her off.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he started, slightly out of breath. Yugi smiled, clearly not all that upset. "So what's this new game about - does anyone know yet?"

"It's supposed to be a secret," explained Yugi. "I guess we find out after we buy it."

There was a huge line of kids all the way down the block. Jonouchi doubted they had enough stock for so many people. It was more kids than he'd ever seen at the Kame Shop, which stood close by, empty. He felt bad, but what could they do about that?

"I gotta get my own copy so I can pawn it," grinned Jonouchi, "Maybe I can make some extra money out of this."

Yugi made a ridiculous face at that, but Jonouchi just ignored him. He wasn't as big of a gamer as his best friend, and money was money.

"I love all games," Yugi sighed. "I want to try this one out. It could be fun. And you know, Jii-chan tends to mainly have old-fashioned games, and I want to try the new stuff. It's more exciting like that," he continued, completely oblivious to the fact that his grandfather was standing right behind him. "I don't care if the Black Clown is competition; I gotta check out this game!"

No one could hide mortified their faces as Yugi finally turned around and realized Sugoroku was right behind him. Jonouchi waved, feeling second-hand embarrassment as he tried to sneak back into the line before they were pushed out.

Eventually, the doors opened. Jonouchi was shoved inside and found himself being jostled

around everywhere, but he still managed to snag six packs of the game before getting out, finding himself surrounded by his friends except Yugi, who was probably still stuck inside.

"I got my packs!" he announced, waving them in the air. "Hey," he turned to Sugoroku, who had some as well, "Wanna play at your place?"

"When Yugi comes back, sure."

They waited for what felt like forever. People were still crowding inside, and Jonouchi felt his patience waning. He tried to catch this best friend's crazy hairstyle in the sea of black and brunettes, but Yugi never came out.

"I wonder what's going on."

"He's in high school; he's too old to be getting lost," snorted Sugoroku. "Let's get back to the house - Yugi can go check up with us there. We gotta try this new game, after all!"

The group headed towards the Kame Game Shop, and for some time, Jonouchi found himself distracted by trying to figure out the DDM game without Yugi there to explain it to him. Sugoroku seemed to catch on to it, but even he was slightly stumped. It seemed like something was missing, and after a while, they all became too focused on other things to continue playing.

It was a waste of money. Jonouchi felt sour about it, already having opened up the packages. He should have left them intact so he could pawn it off somewhere or to someone more gullible than him. How was he supposed to even play something that lacked real rules or instructions? It didn't make much sense.

Hanging around the shop, Jonouchi stood inside near the front door, looking out when he saw Honda coming over with his giant German Shepherd. A small part of him got nervous (the dog was an asshole), but Jonouchi went outside anyways, wanting to see if maybe there was any news on what was going on at the Black Clown.

"Did you see all those people hanging around there?" Jonouchi inquired. "Yugi went in, but we never saw him leave."

"That's funny," Honda said, concerned. His dog was tense, looking back and forth between his owner and Jonouchi before rubbing at its nose. Thankfully, it seemed too distracted with grooming to pay Jonouchi much attention. "I saw Bakura go into the store... He's wearing that ring again...and I think the Black Clown was already closed. There weren't any lines."

"But Yugi didn't come back," explained Jonouchi with a start. "You don't think...?"

Anzu gasped from behind, Sugoroku appearing worried.

"You think Bakura's up to something no good?" asked Jonouchi. He felt hesitant to be the first one to bring up the demon within the Millennium Ring, but they'd all seen it before. It had been after Kaiba's mental break down, and Jonouchi thought _that_ kind of special weirdness - especially after Pegasus's loss - would be over already.

As much as he'd been bored, Jonouchi had no desire to be pulled back into any shit, but Yugi was still missing. It seemed likely that Bakura might be involved (especially if it was the bad Bakura), and Jonouchi wasn't going to wait for something bad to happen to Yugi before going to investigate.

"I'm gonna go back to the Black Crown and look for Yugi."

Anzu nodded her head in agreement, "I'm going with you."

"Okay guys, I'll come too, then."

They all headed together, running at a quick pace before reaching the Black Clown.

It was unbearably hot. Jonouchi stood by helplessly, could only count the seconds as he watched his best friend crouching over the small circular table, the flames creeping higher and closer as the numbers went up.

He'd already sent the others ahead. Yugi had refused to leave without the Puzzle, refused to leave without _him_ , and the frantic determination in Yugi's eyes made Jonouchi accept his crazy suicide gamble.

But it had taken Yugi _years_ to finish that thing. They only had a matter of minutes before the whole place came burning down. And come hell or high water, Jonouchi would not leave his friend behind.

His hands stung. His palms felt raw. Jonouchi had only touched the chain briefly, but the necklace had already been searingly hot. He could only imagine the physical agony Yugi must be experiencing, cradling those bits of metal in his hands.

It was becoming harder to see. He could barely breathe, the smoke was filling and settling into every open space. The sweat made his shirt stick uncomfortably. Yet Yugi continued on, and Jonouchi continued to stand there feeling powerless.

He wasn't smart enough to help. There wasn't anything he could do. This was Yugi's fight. But he'd be damned if he let his best friend die in front of him like this.

The fire was beginning to burn brighter. It curled along the now-exposed rafters, stretching and flickering and consuming. Yugi sat among the inferno as though completely removed, his sight never straying from his task.

The room started to creak, beams crashing to the floor as they gave way to the fire's destruction. Jonouchi couldn't wait any longer; he had to act-

Yugi had done it. He'd completed the Puzzle in mere minutes and had passed out right after. Jonouchi tried shaking him back to consciousness, but the poor kid was down for the count. And he was gripping the Puzzle like a vice.

The Puzzle that was still attached to the table.

He had tried to pull it out, but the pin had been driven in too deeply. It had grown so hot that Jonouchi hadn't been able to grip it enough to properly even try wrenching it out. He felt the panic rise from his stomach into his chest. He couldn't leave here without Yugi. And Yugi wouldn't leave without the Puzzle, even when his mind and body had given out.

He had to think fast. Jonouchi tugged on the chain, ignoring the scorching pain that shot up his arm. But the damn thing just wouldn't budge, and Jonouchi dropped it sharply, the edge of the Puzzle catching on his wrist and making a clean cut.

It felt like someone was calling him. It was too strange - perhaps the smoke was making him hallucinate. But with it brought a crazy idea. Yanking the (very occult-looking - Jonouchi refused to stare at it for too long) roulette contraption from the center of the table, Jonouchi hooked one of the claw's fingers from the side of it through the pin. He probably only had one shot at this before it broke or he, too, succumbed to smoke inhalation. Holding his breath, Jonouchi kicked the opposite side of the roulette down hard.

The pin shot into the air, disappearing into the sea of flames. Jonouchi felt his heart soar for a fleeting moment before reality kicked back in.

They had to get out of there. _Now_.

Collecting Yugi's tiny body in his arms, Jonouchi turned and set off, kicking burning debris out of his path. His very lungs felt on fire, like half of them had already shriveled up and died right inside of him. But he kept moving, ducking under hanging beams and jumping over outstretched flames, Yugi as light as an injured bird in his grasp. The Puzzle shone blindingly, its smooth metal reflecting the surrounding blaze, its points piercing and heavy wedged between him and Yugi.

His vision was starting to go black. His palms pulsed and his armed ached. No, he couldn't let them die like this. Not here.

He felt the outside first before he saw it. Jonouchi could vaguely make out his friends' and Sugoroku's shocked and tearful faces, firefighters clustering by, and a crowd of spectators. His body felt so heavy and each step felt like his shoe soles had melted and melded onto the ground.

Jonouchi heard his name being called again, close yet so far, and then he didn't hear or see anything at all as the darkness took him.

Waking up, Jonouchi found himself trapped under a mound of heavy blankets, resting in a comfortable bed. The low sounds of a television played from the upper the corner of the room. He blinked, his eyes straining before he heard a door click closed. There was a curtain separating him from the space over, a bed that looked identical to the one he was laying in poking out.

Turning his head, he watched as the curtains pulled back and Yugi came into view.

"You're awake!" he exclaimed, "You've been out for quite a while, Jonouchi-kun."

"Have I?"

Hell if Jonouchi could remember. After blacking out carrying Yugi out of the burning Black Clown shop, he didn't remember anything.

"Yeah. Sometimes you'd wake up for a few moments, but I don't think you knew what was going on. The nurses had you sedated most of the time, anyways. You're looking much better now."

Jonouchi was slightly afraid to even look at his face. Everything hurt. He had bandages everywhere, and when he looked around him, he noticed a nasal cannula resting in his nostrils, giving him a low supply of oxygen while he had an IV dripping in his arm. His legs felt like they'd swelled up a little, and his arms appeared bruised.

"Who was just in here?" Jonouchi asked.

"Oh." Yugi was silent for a second, his eyes cast down as he sat on top of the bed and crossed his legs. "That was just Kaiba visiting."

"What!" Jonouchi blurted and instantly regretted it. He began coughing painfully, his chest cavernous and sore. "You're kidding me, right?" he finally managed to gasp out.

"No." He was quiet, his face suddenly appearing nervous. "She didn't stay for long, Jonouchi. Kaiba was just handing over some school work for me, that's all. I didn't think you'd care if she showed up. I can tell her not to come if it bothers you..."

"No, it's not that…" Jonouchi mumbled. "It's just hard to believe she'd even come here."

She'd come for Yugi, not for him. That fact stung deeply, but it wasn't like it was Yugi's fault. Maybe she was simply returning the favor from when she had been ill.

"Kaiba is a strange person," laughed Yugi a tad uneasily. "I don't really understand her sometimes, but I think she means well. She's not the same person as before, Jonouchi. You should try giving her a chance."

"Changed maybe towards you," Jonouchi said, attempting to snort and failing. "She still acts like I'm something gross off the bottom of her shoe."

"Well, you were kind of aggressive towards her during Duelist Kingdom," stated Yugi neutrally. "I'll admit, she's not an easy personality to get along with. She is working through things, Jonouchi, just like you had, and she's got a lot of pressure on her. If you tried acting cordially towards her, maybe you'd be surprised."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jonouchi grouched. Hadn't he _tried_? But Kaiba had simply decided to shut him out after the tournament, so what could he really do? He only had so much pride he could stand to lose before he felt like a complete and utter loser.

But was he the only one? Kaiba never had much interest in their friends... she'd only really paid any modicum of attention to him and Yugi. But here she was, visiting Yugi in the hospital, while he…

He amounted to nothing.

Jonouchi flopped back down onto his bed, doing his best to ignore the shooting pains all along his body. He didn't think he'd gotten this badly injured. Adrenaline was a scary thing…

He didn't want to feel this way. It really had nothing to do with Yugi. But it was yet another dismissal, and it still _hurt_. He needed to focus on other things. Like the fact that his best friend was alive and well, bandaged up but breathing, his Puzzle a familiar sight around his neck.

"Anyways," he finally said, looking up at Yugi (which was a strange thing), "How are you holding up? You look in way better condition than I'm sure I do."

"I was having trouble breathing for a while, but I'm getting much better," smiled Yugi, "I should be going home really soon. I didn't have as many burns as you did, and after they gave me a lot of oxygen therapy, I had been getting better. We were all worried about you, though. The doctor said you had some second-degree burns..."

Yugi played with the puzzle, stroking the gold before looking back up at Jonouchi's eyes.

"Thank you for saving me. _Us._ We would never have made it out of there without your help."

Jonouchi stared at the bandages on Yugi's face, his tightly-wrapped fingers. "What even happened back there?" he wondered aloud. "You'd just gone missing, and we were so worried. I'm glad we made it in time, but what were you even doing in that room?"

"The puzzle was taken from me," said Yugi solemnly, his eyes falling back down on it as he frowned. "I was fighting to get it back."

* * *

If you're reading this, please drop a comment! My favorite portion of the story is coming up soon~

Thanks for reading!

-Allison


	19. Chapter 19

Kaiba couldn't believe it. After everything the Big Five had done to her and had tried to do to her, they were asking - no, _begging -_ for her forgiveness. As if Pegasus had somehow forced them to turn their backs on her. She knew from the beginning that they were cowards and only had allowed her to take over after her stepfather because they thought a girl would be easier to control than a power-hungry adult man. Everyone recognized that Kaiba Seto was smart, but hardly anyone respected her intelligence.

Once again, they were insulting her. She listened to their words, Mokuba standing next to her, his face twisted in aggravation as they explained how they'd finished the Virtual Reality Pod simulation game Kaiba had been working on before Death-T.

It was supposed to be the great breakthrough game. Kaiba designed it using her Solid Vision technology, only it went so much farther, sending the player into a virtual world that only they could see and experience.

Kaiba had hoped to make something of it, but the technology was dangerous. She saw reason to believe that it could be weaponized, and for that reason, she didn't share it much outside of the R&D department.

How peculiar that the Big Five would have shown interest in it.

"We are sincerely apologetic for our share in the hostile takeover of Kaiba Corporation," they began, all bowing deeply before avoiding eye contact, all seemingly trying to look as submissive as possible, "We were only doing what we thought would be right for the company."

"We had no idea that Pegasus-san would try murdering you," added one of the men, to which all of them nodded in consensus. "It was only our desire to make sure that your father's company would continue."

It was a load of bull. The only thing the Big Five cared about was keeping their pockets full. Mokuba looked up at Kaiba, trying to find direction.

"I don't appreciate you all messing with my work," Kaiba announced, her sharp eyes peering at each man, trying to read their true intentions, "and no amount of apologies will change the fact that all of you are fired."

"That may be so," answered one of the men, "but we still hope that you'll give our work a chance. That maybe one day, you'll find it in your heart, Kaiba-sama, to forgive us for our foolishness."

As much as Kaiba was unwilling to change her mind, she was also anxious to see what they'd done to her precious pet project. She did not like having outsiders mess with her work, and unable to fight her worst nature, she relented.

"This one time," Kaiba remarked, "I'll see what you all have been up to. Until then, you all are still fired. Please see your way out of the building. I'm done with the lot of you."

They all bowed again, and one by one filed out of the room quietly.

Mokuba had waited until the businessmen had all vacated then turned worried eyes to his sister. "I don't trust them at all, Nee-sama. After what they tried to do to us...it's probably just another trap."

"I know," Kaiba replied, her eyes still fixed on the door, "They've tampered with my project, though, so there's no fighting it. I need to see what they've done to it; I might just have to scrap the entire thing completely." She sighed, running a hand through her bangs. "The nerve of them. That game is way over their heads. I've no choice but to go in and check things out."

Mokuba moved closer, his tiny hands clutching onto the sleeve of her jacket. "But what if they've done something that will hurt you? I couldn't stand to lose you again."

Kaiba smiled at him, wiping at the tears that had collected at his eyes with a thumb. "Hey, chin up. Trust your sister a little. I'm smarter than those fools; I've installed a failsafe within the coding, so if anything were to happen, I could abort the program without any damage. And it's well-hidden, too, so I suspect it's still intact."

They would have had to hire one hell of a programmer to find it. And while the Big Five were no doubt crafty, they didn't know any of the technical ins and outs of the restructured KaibaCorp's products. They were still a relic of Gozaburo's reign, arms dealers at heart. Kaiba had been waiting to get rid of the lot but never had justification. Now she did.

Although she'd gone through hell to get there. But now they were dismissed, and Kaiba would be free to lead the company in the direction she saw fit. Forgive them? Take them back? Not a chance in hell.

Sighing again, Kaiba ruffled Mokuba's hair before standing. "There's only one way to investigate the damage, and that's going directly into the _Duel Monsters Quest_ virtual world. Might as well get it over with now."

* * *

"So lemme get this straight," Jonouchi began, turning critical eyes onto his best friend, "Otogi steals your Puzzle and coerces you into playing some grudge-match DDM game so he can avenge his father for whatever your grandfather did to him in the past, then the old man goes and breaks your Puzzle and drags you off into some secret room with some creepy-ass ancient Egyptian game, then tries to complete the Puzzle to take ownership of it and somehow ends up lighting the whole damn store on fire?"

Yugi nodded seriously, his big eyes bearing determination and his lips pulled into a frown. "But I can't blame Otogi, though. He was only trying to live up to his dad's expectations - I don't think he anticipated any of the rest happening. We actually ended our game as friends."

Jonouchi snorted before being silenced by Anzu's stern glare. "Only you could forgive someone so easily, Yug'. That asshole _broke your Puzzle_. What would you have done if it took you another eight years to complete it again?"

"No, Otogi's father broke it," Yugi corrected, but Jonouchi blew that fact off.

"Doesn't matter. He stole it in the first place. Do you think he would've given it back if he'd won? That he would have felt remorseful if you hadn't kicked his ass at his own game?" Jonouchi crossed his arms and scowled. He knew he didn't have much room to talk; his and Yugi's friendship had begun in much of the same way. And Yugi had still forgiven him, given him a second chance, but at no point had Yugi's life been endangered.

Otogi had been nowhere in sight when Jonouchi had arrived. He'd bolted when things had really started to get bad, taking his father with him and leaving Yugi to burn with the building.

Some "friend."

He didn't understand how Yugi could be so passive and forgiving. He'd almost _died._ Jonouchi at least had done something to gain his friendship; he'd been there for Yugi through thick and thin. Saved his damn life... Why did other people gain his love so easily?

The conversation changed, but Jonouchi did not partake in it. Anzu kept giving strange, disappointed looks, but Jonouchi just gave her an angry glare back. He didn't want her judging gaze on him, and Honda had enough sense not to say anything. Ryou seemed oblivious, which was a godsend, and they all turned their attention to upcoming dueling competitions in the city, Yugi asking which ones he should enter.

"We could enter together, Jonouchi-kun," Yugi tried bringing him back into the conversation, smiling, but Jonouchi just shook his head.

"We'll see."

"'We'll see'?" Yugi tilted his head, frowning a little bit. "If you don't want to play, Jonouchi-kun, that's fine. I understand. We're so busy with school work, anyways."

"Jonouchi! Don't be so difficult!" badgered Anzu. Jonouchi just folded his arms and turned away, looking out the door into the storm that was erupting just outside the Kame Shop. It rumbled each time a bolt of lightning struck the ground, thunder rolling and lights flashing as the rain came down hard against the pavement. Jonouchi just stared out into the storm, his eyes starting to blur when he saw a familiar figure running towards the door.

The shop was closed. Why would anyone be coming over at night?

But then Jonouchi realized it was a small kid, beating the doors repeatedly before Jonouchi realized it was Kaiba Mokuba of all people.

"Guys, it's Mokuba!"

He rushed off the counter and opened the door, ushering Mokuba inside. He was soaked down to the skin, shivering without any kind of rain boots or a jacket. It didn't make much sense to be running out to see them undressed.

"Mokuba, what are you doing here?" Jonouchi asked, "You aren't even wearing a jacket?"

"I couldn't," Mokuba gasped, trying to catch his breath. His eyes were red and it took Jonouchi a second to realize that he had tears running down his face alongside the drops of rain coming down from his jet black hair. "Nee-sama's in trouble. I had to run out of Kaiba Corporation before the guards could try getting me. She's trapped. I need your help! You guys are the only people I know who'll help me."

Great. Just when Jonouchi thought his life was returning to some semblance of normal, he was being dragged into crap he had no business being involved in. It's not like he really owed Kaiba anything, and not like her behavior as of late had ingratiated herself with him.

But.

He couldn't help the sick feeling from flooding into his gut. What kind of trouble was she into, now? For Mokuba to come running to them - in the middle of a raging storm, no less - it had to be pretty bad… She'd ignored him for weeks, but-

"Where is she!?" Jonouchi yelled, grasping onto Mokuba's arms and giving him a short shake. Mokuba's eyes went wide, firmly locked onto Jonouchi's before he regained his senses and shook himself free.

His eyes narrowed fractionally. "The Big Five have her hostage inside a virtual reality world. Nee-sama was working on that game since before Pegasus tried to take over, and the Big Five went and messed with it while she was gone. She went in to see what they'd done - said she had installed a failsafe - but she underestimated them. Now she's trapped, and I don't know how to get her back!" His voice began to waver and grow in pitch. "Please!" he cried, clutching the front of Jonouchi's shirt, "She could really die in there! If they unplug her before she disconnects from the VR world, her consciousness could get stuck. I've secured the room her pod's in, but it's only a matter of time before the Big Five's men break through."

"So what do we have to do?" Yugi began, "Enter the VR world and somehow get Kaiba-san out of there?"

Mokuba nodded, his small fists still twisted into Jonouchi's shirt. "They have her prisoner there - I saw it myself before I closed off the area. If you guys can just get to her and free her, then she'll be able to close down the program safely."

"No problem, that should be easy, right?" laughed Jonouchi nervously. "She's just stuck in a video game, after all. That's no big deal. I can save her."

"Wait a minute, Jonouchi," Anzu butted in, "Think about this for a second. None of us know anything about this virtual world, and you just plan on rushing in and think things will be okay?"

"You got a better idea?" snapped Jonouchi. "Mokuba came for our help, so I'm gonna help him!"

"Jonouchi's right, Anzu," Yugi said as Jonouchi puffed out his chest and stood a little taller. "It's the right thing to do...If Kaiba-san needs our help, then we've got to be there for her."

Anzu rolled her eyes, getting up to grab her raincoat as everyone else slowly rose. "If we're gonna go save Kaiba, then we better get going!" she chided, "Didn't Mokuba just say she's under attack right now? Let's get to it!"

* * *

The pod was small and claustrophobic. Second thoughts were beginning to race through Jonouchi's head as he lay back, watching the cover close over him and lock into place. Just what was he getting himself into? He began to think that he should have at least asked Mokuba what the game was _about_ before taking up position, but it was too late for it now. He could feel the connectors on the back of his neck growing cold before a sharp buzzing vibrated through his skin. And then he felt like he was falling, his vision shorting out before waking in what appeared to be a graveyard.

"Ugh," Jonouchi grunted in distaste, his skin crawling. Of all places to start out, it _had_ to be in some haunted-looking wasteland. He shivered then, surprised that the reaction was more than just the creeps.

Mokuba snorted loudly before breaking into a fit of guffaws, doubled over and pointing obnoxiously at Jonouchi. It wasn't until Jonouchi looked down that he finally registered what he was wearing. No wonder he felt a fucking draft.

"What the shit!" he bellowed, pointing rudely at Mokuba and Yugi, "Why the hell do you guys get cool-looking armor while I get this sack of rags!"

"It must be part of the fantasy theme," Yugi placated, giving Jonouchi a tight smile before turning to Mokuba, "It's _Duel Monsters Quest_ , right? I guess this means we all get different roles and equipment?"

"Yeah," Mokuba wheezed, finally containing his laughter. "The whole point is to become one of the Legendary Heroes of Lore. So there are several quests around the world, and in the end, you have to be powerful enough to take on the dragon god. It was meant to be a co-op game, but I'm not sure what the Big Five did to it, so there's no telling what we might run into."

"Well," sniffed Jonouchi, trying not to let his anxiety show, "Do you have any idea where Kaiba could be?"

"No idea," frowned Mokuba. "I know she was probably trying to test out what happened to the game, to see what programming the Big Five might have changed around, but if they tampered with it, we'd have no idea what might still be the same and what might have changed."

Mokuba looked down at the Duel Disk around his arm, smiling a little. "At least this system is still intact. You protect yourself with your Duel Deck. With Yugi here, we should be fine!"

Jonouchi rolled his eyes, feeling a wave of jealousy hit him. They needed his help, too, didn't they? Sure, Yugi was the better player, but Jonouchi didn't suck, either. He could certainly hold his own, and he had just as much bravery under pressure as his best friend. Why did everyone have to always place Yugi on a pedestal way above him all the time?

"I'm just glad to have everyone's help," offered Yugi. "I don't think I could do this without you or Jonouchi-kun with me."

Jonouchi didn't respond. He peered down at his deck, glancing at the face-down stack of cards before gazing across the graveyard. This was the last place he ever wanted to be, but maybe if they were quick about it, they could get out of that part of the game.

"Let's get going," interrupted Jonouchi, "Kaiba's waiting for us, and we don't want those goons catching up with our bodies in the real world."

He started marching down the rows of graves, trying not to let his nerves show. Mokuba was a kid, and having him realize just how frightened he really was would be so embarrassing. If Mokuba lost faith in him, Jonouchi wouldn't be able to live it down. For certain, Kaiba would never respect him if even her kid brother couldn't.

He couldn't help the shriek that erupted from his mouth, though, his face plummeting toward the ground as something damp and bony closed around his ankle. Jonouchi kicked behind him wildly, fingers digging into the wet earth as he scrambled away.

"Wow, I didn't think it would happen so soon!" yelled out Mokuba as he grabbed onto Jonouchi's arm and snatched a card from his deck, "Prepare yourself, we might have to use our cards!"

Yugi seemed ready. A zombie card jumped out of the ground, his body disintegrating and limbs hanging loosely off his corpse. It moaned and groaned, stumbling towards them as two more clawed out of the ground, one the rotting corpse of a dragon, the face rotten down almost to its bare skull.

A little screen showed up next to their bodies. Attack and defense points, at least everyone knew what they were up against.

"They aren't that high in attack points, at least," called out Mokuba, "We should be able to take them, right?"

"No Mokuba, zombie cards-"

But before Yugi could finish his sentence, Jonouchi jumped into action. He threw out the first monster card he could remember, killing the zombies, but they instantly came back, their own attack points growing.

"Hey, what gives?" he cried frantically, turning to Yugi.

"Zombie cards regenerate after you attack them! They'll just keep coming back stronger. Jonouchi, don't you remember what you did when you went against Ghost Kotsuzaka back in Duelist Kingdom? You can't just keep attacking them!"

Crap. He didn't. Jonouchi had been keen to forget all about that wretched Duel. Going up against that zombie deck once had been traumatic enough. What could he do…

"Jonouchi, think," Yugi cried out, panicking a little as the zombies got closer, "you have a card in your deck that can work! You just got to change their attack and defense to beat them!"

Change their attack and defense? Wait. He _did_ have that card! But what was it called? His brain felt frozen in fear, the zombies lurching forward. It was dark and cold and the smell was _awful_ and if he could just _think_ -

"Sword and Shield!" Jonouchi gasped out, the zombies momentarily held back by an invisible barrier as their set of numbers hovering above them swapped places.

"There you go!" yelled Yugi excitedly as he threw a fist in the air, "Now you can attack!"

"Flame Swordsman!" Jonouchi summoned as he heard Yugi call for his Dark Magician. The zombies were blasted away as they were attacked in unison, leaving a still silence across the graveyard once again. "Shit," Jonouchi spat as he rose to his feet, "Let's get outta here before any other monsters start coming for us."

The three of them stalked off wordlessly, too shaken and concerned about getting to someplace safe to say anything. Jonouchi was relieved by that; God, he'd looked so uncool. Yugi always had to come to his rescue. It wasn't that he was ungrateful, but… He was just so stupid. Why hadn't he remembered? He'd gotten through that underground duel all by himself; why did he need someone else to bail him out? And in front of Mokuba… At least Kaiba hadn't seen it. Jonouchi would have wanted the zombies to pull him down into a grave if she had been there as a witness.

It would have been preferable to the condescending look she was sure to have given him. Jonouchi, never the dependable one. No, everyone relied on Yugi.

Jonouchi shook his head, knocking himself on the forehead lightly with his fist. What the hell was he thinking? Having a little pity-party for himself because his pride felt a little bruised wasn't going to help anyone. He inwardly sighed and peeked out at Yugi from the corner of his eye. He was so small, yet the look on his face was so fierce. How could he be so young in age, and yet so mature?

"Hey look, guys," called out Mokuba, who ran ahead and began to smile, "I remember this part. We're at the edge of the desert, look!"

They came upon a cliff, looking out over the immense environment they'd have to get past. Jonouchi paled; there was a vast desert to get through, and only a small village to venture before having to move on. Who knew where exactly Kaiba was. He felt his heart sink.

"We gotta get down there and find someone who can help us get through the sand," announced Mokuba. "I remember this part. Once we get through this, we can go through the mountain and that should bring us closer to the end of the game. Seto never had the time to really map out the story world, so unless the Big Five suddenly got inspired to become writers, there shouldn't be that much for us to do!"

It appeared so daunting. They either had to scale the steep rocks or spend who-knew-how-long traveling around the cliff down to the village. Jonouchi knew what the safer option would be - the _saner_ option, really - but time was of the essence.

"What should we do, guys?" asked Yugi as he peered at Mokuba and Jonouchi. "We gotta get down there somehow. Have any ideas?"

"Well, either we can climb down…" Jonouchi mused aloud. He felt like he was missing something. He stared across the distance - if only they could fly down there.

That was it!

"Hey Yug', your Dark Magician can fly, right? What if we used our monsters to get down there? It'd take a while to climb down, and there's no guarantee we wouldn't get injured along the way. I don't really want to find out what taking damage here means for our bodies out there, you get me?"

"Don't you both have dragon cards?" asked Mokuba, "Just ride one of them down and don't get sick on the way," he snorted. "I have one in my deck."

Well, there was that, too. Jonouchi rolled his eyes at the kid before summoning his Red-Eyes Black Dragon and climbing aboard, pulling Yugi up in front of him. "You getting on?" he grinned at Mokuba, who merely returned the eye-roll before holding his hands up in silent demand. Jonouchi bit back a laugh at the childish display, not commenting as he grabbed the kid's hands and hoisted him up as well.

The Red-Eyes snorted and stamped its large feet before taking to the air, effortlessly gliding across the steep valley that stood between the cliff and the desert. It was like nothing Jonouchi had ever felt before. It felt so _real_ and invigorating, and he knew he was smiling stupidly but he couldn't contain the loud whoop he let out as the dragon dove forward, arcing in a circle as it slowly began its descent.

"Stop, Jonouchi, you're being so embarrassing," muttered Mokuba as he clutched onto Jonouchi's waist for dear life. "I can't believe I had to find such a dork to go save my sister."

"Can it, pipsqueak," Jonouchi continued grinning, "Beggars can't be choosers." He didn't stop from sticking out his tongue obnoxiously, just to get more of a rise out of the kid.

Soon they had landed just on the far outskirts of the village. Jonouchi looked around curiously and then leaned forward to pat the dragon on its neck. "Hey, why land here?" he asked it, "Why not just drop us off after the desert?" But the dragon merely shook its head like a horse would, whipping its tail around and fluffing its wings in displeasure.

"Maybe there's something preventing it from taking the trip," Yugi surmised as he stared out into the dunes. The three slid off the dragon carefully; it instantly took to the air and vanished from sight.

"Well, at least we don't have to travel through that village," Mokuba said as he dusted his pants off. "Let's get going!"

He rushed forward before Jonouchi and Yugi could think to stop him. As soon as his foot made contact with the sand, a fierce slash of wind shot at the group, instantly knocking them back. It felt just like a quick jab to the solar plexus. Jonouchi felt dazed as he sat up coughing, trying to catch his breath. After years of fighting in the streets, he was used to this feeling. He couldn't imagine the pain the kid and Yugi must have been feeling.

"You guys...alright?" he managed to gasp out, wincing as he held his chest. Yugi was shaking, on his hands and knees looking as though he was about to vomit, while the kid had been knocked out cold.

Crawling to a stand, Jonouchi helped Yugi up and then threw Mokuba over his shoulders. No wonder the dragon had refused to take them any further.

"I guess this means a trip to the village," Jonouchi sighed as they began their trek back.

* * *

She could barely remember what had happened. Her head hurt and it was dark all over, the air cold and thin, as if stuck somewhere deep underneath the ground. When Kaiba coughed, her voice echoed, and opening her eyes, she found herself surrounded by darkness. Trying to move, she quickly realized that her wrists and knees were bound. Unable to move, Kaiba tried twisting around, but the chains were heavy and she felt like she was becoming bruised from all the effort.

"Poor Kaiba-chan, all alone without her dragons to help her," snickered a voice.

Looking through the darkness, Kaiba couldn't make out a figure. She blinked several times, hoping for her vision to focus, but then she cursed. As if that would help. It was all in her head.

A light came into view. It smelled like fire and burning tar, and Kaiba could see the face of a Witty Phantom in view, his cruel smile wide across his tan face.

"You're finally awake," he greeted, tipping his hat before giving a small bow, "I was almost afraid you wouldn't come to."

Kaiba remained silent. The last thing she wanted to do was panic. Clearly the failsafe didn't work; somehow she'd underestimated the Big Five and they overrode her program. How they managed that, she didn't know, but now she was stuck inside the game. Hopefully, Mokuba was doing something about it now, unless they'd gotten ahold of him...

"Oh don't worry, Kaiba-chan, your brother made it out," answered the Witty Phantom as he came over and leaned against the wall where he had Kaiba chained up to, "But he's coming, soon. You'll see him soon enough. Then the real show can begin."

"What are you planning to do to us," Kaiba asked. Her head was throbbing. Something must have hit her hard when she was caught in that net. Somehow the game managed to play a Dragon Capture Jar when Kaiba had attacked a monster using her Blue-Eyes White Dragon. That wasn't in the coding, and she realized then that something was wrong with the system.

"Didn't you create this silly game?" laughed the Phantom. He grinned again before placing his hand under his chin, sticking out his tongue obnoxiously. "You wanted this to be made for children, but the Big Five got sick of your little kiddie games. To win the game, you must stop the Great Dragon from being summoned by saving the Princess...and the Princess is you, by the way," he laughed once more, bumping Kaiba's chin with his fist before patting her roughly on the cheek.

"However, the Big Five realized it would make sense to just wait for Mokuba to come, too, so they can get rid of you both at the same time. Why wait when you can kill two birds with one stone?"

Kaiba grimaced.

"Oh, but don't worry. Mokuba's not on his own. He brought some friends with him. Mutou Yugi and Jonouchi Katsuya, I know you know them both, right? Tried to kill them in the not-so-distant past..."

"Enough," cut off Kaiba, "I know you are nothing more than data. Mokuba will get through the game and release me. He knows what to do."

"That's assuming that the game goes as you planned," laughed the Phantom. "Don't you remember? The Big Five doesn't appreciate your childish antics. You nearly ruined everything with that Death-T thing, you know."

Kaiba didn't want to think about that. She felt ashamed enough whenever she thought about it.

Looking down, she realized where she was. A dungeon, inside the bowels of a floating castle she'd designed as a child some years ago. There was a skeleton of a magnificent dragon surrounding them, and with the right blood ritual, the monster could be brought back by spilling the blood of the princess.

Seeing the clothes she was wearing, Kaiba quickly realized that the Witty Phantom was right; she had been cast as the princess.

Or rather, from the lack of clothes. It wasn't Kaiba's idea that the female characters be sexualized so heavily, but the Big Five clearly had other ideas. No wonder she was so cold. Only a thin draping fold of fabric across her back held up the draping fabric coverings against her breasts, which converged at the waist and trailed up into the heavy jeweled collar around her neck. Her back and the sides of her abdomen were completely exposed, her stomach only covered by a thin, sheer fabric that gave way to a heavy gold belt that was low on her hips. From it spilled something that could barely be called a skirt - just thin drapes of soft purple fabric that folded in the front and back, connected at the back of her collar around her neck.

"So I see that pervy group of old men didn't appreciate my more modest tastes from the older design," snorted Kaiba. "Whose idea was this?"

"They just wanted to show you in your best light before you'd die," answered the Phantom. "Don't worry, dear Kaiba-chan, you look marvelous, as always."

They'd done this to humiliate her. They knew how she felt about this sort of thing...the indignation. The sexy Greek goddess look had never been her thing. Hell, sexy anything had never appealed to her, period. She preferred staying well covered, with a bra on.

Kaiba doubted she had on any kind of underwear with this outfit.

"When I get out of this place, I will destroy you all," Kaiba promised.

"That's only _if_ you get out of here," pointed out the Phantom with a smirk. "We'll see who wins very soon."

* * *

Mokuba eventually woke up, appearing confused before he realized they'd been thrown out of the desert. His eyes were dazed and Yugi patted him on the back, frowning as Mokuba's shoulders trembled.

"We got to get past that desert," he cried, trying to clear up his eyes with the back of his hands as Jonouchi looked on. "There's got to be a way."

The townspeople were unhelpful. There were loads of them, all appearing poor and dirty and rude as they bumped into them and actually tried stealing their decks. Yugi nearly jumped out of his skin when a man grabbed him and tried pulling him away somewhere. Jonouchi had to save him, only to lose track of Mokuba before securing them both. He couldn't remember ever feeling so paranoid as he walked through a city.

Barely anyone spoke Japanese, either. There were half-naked women in the streets, trying to grab at his crotch, which made Jonouchi jump a few times as Mokuba rolled his eyes. "We must be in the wrong side of town," muttered Mokuba, "I think we're surrounded by hookers."

That made Yugi blush.

"Okay then, genius, how do we get out of here?"

There was a huge coliseum up ahead. That made sense. They were dressed up like something out of a Roman epic (even if Jonouchi was more barbarian than centurion) and they tried hurrying over to get there before too many pickpockets and prostitutes stopped them in their tracks.

"This is kind of neat," spoke up Yugi after they'd reached a bazaar. There were booths and stands selling animals and food, as well as Duel Monster cards. Looking at the prices, Jonouchi felt his heart sink as he realized they had barely any money. Most of the cards were marketed over a thousand points, and they only had fifteen from beating the zombies in the graveyard.

"This game sucks," Jonouchi muttered, kicking a rock as it hit a dog, which growled at him, "We'll never find Kaiba at this rate."

He didn't realize what was happening until he saw jaws coming at him. "Jonouchi, look out!" hollered Yugi, and Jonouchi spun around and took off running, looking behind him to find a savage-looking dog chasing behind, teeth bared and eyes wild.

He ran and ran and ran, cutting across streets and getting cursed at by villagers in half a dozen different languages he didn't understand. Jonouchi ran until he reached the front gates of the theater, the dog finally gone as he laid eyes on a poster.

There was a beautiful woman with a butterfly mask covering her face. She looked dazzling, with a Xena-like warrior outfit on and long, wavy hair. It was just an artist's poster, which lacked any kind of real detail, but Jonouchi felt himself drooling a little.

"Who the hell is that?"

The man next to him laughed. "Don't you know, that's the Butterfly Princess from the distant lands of Domino. She's the most powerful and most beautiful Duelist in the city. Beat her, and you can have Niwatori cards to get past the desert so you can reach her kingdom and marry her."

"Marry her?" laughed Jonouchi. "What, I don't get it."

"She will only marry the Duelist who beats her at a match," continued the man, "She's a princess, after all. Only the best man in the city may have her."

He looked at the poster again. Princess? Most beautiful and most powerful Duelist in the city? Maybe it was Kaiba! It made sense. She was the only other person in the game, after all, besides Mokuba, Yugi, and himself.

"Where do I sign up," asked Jonouchi, "I want to duel her."

"Well you're in luck, we are looking for a competitor right now!"

Before he knew it, Jonouchi was ushered in toward the center of the coliseum, Yugi and Mokuba held back with the other spectators. They cast worried gazes at him, but Jonouchi just smiled and threw up a thumbs up. "Don't worry, guys! I'll beat whoever this chick is and get those cards so we can cross that desert." He pulled his skull mask down, preparing for a fight.

A high laugh thrilled across the grounds as the Butterfly Princess sauntered over. She stopped midway, crossing her arms under her large bosom and holding her chin with one hand, assessing. "Think it'll be that easy?" she tsked.

She was as beautiful in person as in the posters. Tall and thin, an outfit that left little to the imagination, a tiny face with ruby red lips. And long, wavy...blonde...hair?

"Hey wait," interrupted Jonouchi as he crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows, "You're not Kaiba. Just who the hell are you?"

The mask on her face covered her facial features. Gems shone in the light, making the image of a gorgeous purple butterfly, and Jonouchi found himself taking off his dumb steel skull mask as he lost the motivation to duel.

"Jonouchi?" came the shocked reply, "What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Jonouchi just stared at his opponent dumbly, perplexed as to why she would know his name. She sighed in exasperation, ripping off the butterfly mask and tossing it to the ground.

"Mai!?" Jonouchi blurted, hearing Yugi do the same from afar. "Why are you here?"

"I asked that question first," she drawled, the tiniest hint of a frown crossing her face. "I was hired to search for bugs in this region. And what the hell!" she continued, stamping a foot and kicking up rust-colored dust, "Why did you look so disappointed when you found out I wasn't Kaiba!"

"Err, because, well-" Jonouchi stammered, throwing his hands up defensively, "She's in trouble, and we're looking for her." He pointed to Yugi and Mokuba in the crowds. "See? Some shit went down at KaibaCorp again, so she's stuck in here or something. We didn't know anyone else was here in the game…"

"So what, you came here because you need to cross the desert?" she asked, digging around in her leather thigh holster before producing a single duel monster card. "Looking for this thing?"

It was a Niwatori - just the thing they were after! Jonouchi couldn't believe his luck. "Yeah, that's exactly it!" he crowed before the realization hit him. "Um, wait, do I still have to fight you for it? 'Cause we're kinda in a rush and all."

Mai smirked, waving the card around between two fingers before giving it a kiss. "For you, it's on the house. Consider it payment for the little show," she winked, giving him an obvious once-over.

Jonouchi instantly felt his cheeks heat up. He wanted to pull down his skimpy outfit, but he knew it would only make him look even more ridiculous. Just how did his outfit manage to be even more revealing than _Mai's_?

The crowds around them started to get impatient, vocalizing their displeasure. Yugi and Mokuba had broken away, racing to gather around Jonouchi and Mai. Along the perimeter of the coliseum walls, Jonouchi could make out a line of guards coming for them.

"Shit," Mai hissed as she caught sight of the guards as well, "They're after us because we're going against the coliseum rules - we aren't fighting!"

"Red-Eyes!" Jonouchi called out while Mai summoned her Harpie Lady, using their monsters to drive back the guards fast encroaching upon them. Yugi had summoned a wall of Kuribohs as well, but with the angry crowds joining in, it was too much.

"Mai! Summon the Niwatori!" Yugi yelled as he dodged a large fist.

Jonouchi felt the ground beneath him give out as a large bird suddenly materialized beneath his feet. The four of them clung to its massive wings and were pitched to the side and onto its back as it flapped its wings and took flight. Soon the coliseum was nothing but a tiny pinhead against the mountains and stretches of forest, the wind whipping through their hair as the Niwatori glided across the desert.

When they reached the other side, they found themselves surrounded by mountains. It was beautiful, and Jonouchi felt his spirits lifted when he realized that they would probably have to cross them. He didn't want to go on another wild goose chase looking for some special card to get through where they needed to go.

The Niwatori dropped them off at the foot of the valley, close to the keep of a castle. People surrounded the walls, looking down at them as Jonouchi looked back.

"The heroes," people yelled to each other, "Look, they have finally arrived. They are here to slay the dragon!"

"Look, the prince," marveled another one, "They brought Prince Mokuba back!"

Mokuba pointed at himself, feeling silly as a slight blush fell on his face. Yugi smiled, waving while Mai just posed with her arms on her hips.

Suddenly the gates opened. Men on horseback came riding down the road and they stopped right in front of them, scaring the crap out of Jonouchi, who wasn't used to dealing with animals who were so much larger than himself.

"My prince," spoke up the only woman in the group of riders, "You have returned."

"I'm a prince," snorted Mokuba. Jonouchi just elbowed him, giving him a disapproving look.

"Your sister has been kidnapped!" exclaimed the older woman. "We sent out men to rescue her, but no one has come back alive. We implore your friends, the legendary heroes, to bring her back. The King foresaw this happening. The one who can bring her back and slay the dragon may have her hand and this kingdom in marriage-"

"-Wait a minute here," laughed Mai as she cut the woman off, "Why is everyone in this world giving women off to be married left and right? As if anyone would want to marry Kaiba, anyways."

Yugi looked away, scratching the back of his head. Mokuba made a nasty face at Mai and Jonouchi felt even more ridiculous.

"She's the most beautiful princess in the entire kingdom," explained the woman as she continued, her face becoming more stern, "Even more beautiful than that 'Princess Butterfly' from across the desert. What a pitiful thing she must be, in Princess Seto's presence..."

" _Excuse me_?" Mai nearly shrieked, her hands curled into tight fists at her sides. "Your ' _princess_ ' is a mere _child_. I'm a grown _woman_ , so don't you dare go comparing me to that spoiled brat!"

"You're old," said the woman with a twisted face. She turned towards Mokuba, bowing her head apologetically. "I am so sorry that you must be in her awful company, Prince Mokuba. Let us get you back to the castle, so you may rest."

They gave Mokuba a pony, which somehow Mokuba managed to get onto and ride back to the castle. Everyone else rode on the back of another rider, Jonouchi biting his lip when the horse kicked up speed and they galloped into the keep of the castle, and then inside the gigantic building.

Once they were off, the woman in the silk gown formally introduced herself and invited them to a meal. Jonouchi was the first to approve, despite Mokuba's protests, and they found themselves surrounded at a table by dozens of dishes as dancers and musicians entertained them.

The girls were nearly naked. Jonouchi was almost too distracted to eat.

"I thought this was supposed to be a kid's game," muttered Jonouchi into Mokuba's ear, "Did your sister really design this?"

"I think the Big Five did this," answered Mokuba, "They are giant perverts."

"No kidding," Jonouchi grumbled as he looked down at his lap. His outfit barely covered his thighs and rode up so much when he sat down that he was in jeopardy of mooning someone. How did girls - willingly - manage this? "I gotta question their tastes…"

Mai looked so put-out. Yugi ate eagerly, inhaling whatever was placed in front of him. Mokuba kind of ate, but mostly he looked impatient.

"Don't worry, my prince, we will save your sister," spoke up the old woman. She was their guardian, apparently. Everything about her appeared matronly. "We'll save your sister and restore peace unto the kingdom. With her married, we won't have to worry about her being kidnapped ever again."

"Oh?" Mokuba snorted, picking at his food. "Why is that? Does hitching up with some dude break the spell or something?" He shook his head, clearly disinterested.

"Because only a virgin of noble blood can be used to awaken the dragon," answered the lady in a completely serious tone, "Which is why it's important that your sister be married immediately."

Jonouchi nearly spat out his drink. He caught himself, swallowing hard before choking. Yugi also seemed to have some trouble continuing to eat, his cheeks turning a bright pink before he, too, swallowed audibly. Only Mai seemed to be undisturbed, and Mokuba just continued scowling.

"It was the king's last wish that this be so," stated the woman, "And so, we must honor his last wish. Whoever saves her," she continued, looking first at Yugi and then Jonouchi with a hard gaze, "Will marry her."

 _It was just a game. It was just a game._ Jonouchi _knew_ this, but he couldn't deny the fierce streak of competition that crept up his gut. And something so silly as marriage at seventeen? What was he even hoping for?

It wasn't real. Even if it was, it wasn't like Kaiba was the type to submit to such antiquated customs.

It wasn't real. But god, he wanted to _win_ , and he'd be damned if he'd lose to Yugi again. Not with Kaiba watching. Not when she already paid so much attention to him already-

What was he thinking? Jonouchi inwardly berated himself - this wasn't the time nor the place for this shit. This was the Big Five, fucking with his head. They were there for Kaiba - to get her out of there before all five of them would be stuck in the virtual world forever. There was no time for entertaining such petty thoughts, especially when the cause of them amounted to nothing.

No promise in this game would ever translate to real life.

"They have her captive in the floating castle," remarked the woman as she continued on, "In the dark world. You must use the ancient flying machine to penetrate its walls. No monster but that one may get through its defenses. Once you get past the defenses, Princess Seto will be within."

"Then what are we waiting for," barked Mokuba sharply, getting up from the table as everyone looked over at him, surprised, "Take us to it at once."

They got there quickly, with Mokuba spurring his pony in front of everyone else. The rest of them rode in a wagon. Jonouchi briefly wondered how on earth Mokuba even knew how to ride a horse, but before he could think about it, they reached a giant outline of a monster machine.

"This is it," cried out the woman again. "The ancient flying machine from hundreds of years before our time. If someone could bring it back, you could go rescue Princess Seto."

Jonouchi looked around at the rest of them. Yugi looked thoughtful for a second as Jonouchi felt stumped, the former suddenly brightening up. "Jonouchi, you have the perfect card for this!" he yelled out, "Use your Time Wizard!"

"Time Wizard?"

God, how did he not think of that? Cursing himself mentally, Jonouchi pulled out his card and faced it to the air, "I summon Time Wizard! Bring this Ancient Flying Machine back to life!"

The ground started to rumble. People looked anxiously around as the horses whinnied and tossed their heads, jumping around when the earth broke apart and the machine came slowly out of the ground, the little wings whirling before it hovered over the earth.

"Jonouchi, you did it!" Mai snagged Jonouchi into a hug as Yugi clapped his hands.

"Let's get on, then," Mokuba commanded as he jumped off his pony and ran towards it. He wasted no time, scrambling up before the rest got onboard. "We've got to get there _now_. We've wasted enough time already."

Once on board, the winged machine flew quickly. It soared over the castle, flying high in the sky, somehow able to detect just where they needed to go. Jonouchi looked down and could see the entire kingdom; it appeared real. There were farms and manors and forts and forests with rivers and lakes all around. He couldn't believe it. Kaiba must have put forth so much time to make something so large. It almost appeared like something out of Skyrim, only much more realistic.

Then there was rumbling. Monsters were gathered around an angry storm cloud in the sky. "You guys, I think that's it!" called out Yugi. "Get ready. It looks like we're in for a fight!"

Red-Eyes Black Dragon suddenly appeared back on the scene. Yugi summoned Dark Magician while Mai brought out her Harpie Ladies and Harpie's Pet Dragon. To everyone's surprise, even Mokuba summoned a monster. A Blue-Eyes White Dragon cracked through the sky, screeching loudly before blasting a hole through the horde of monsters that were set to attack them.

"You have Kaiba's deck!" yelled Jonouchi angrily through the crackling of lightning and thunder, "And you didn't say anything?"

"I didn't think we'd need it until now," answered Mokuba, "I don't like using my sister's cards."

"You'd better freaking get over that!" Jonouchi shouted. Monsters were swarming all around them, dive-bombing with their claws and fangs. The ship was being chipped away and cracking all around them - it wouldn't hold out for much longer.

The castle was close. Jonouchi could see it, the hairs on his arms standing up as he felt his stomach turn. Kaiba was inside there, waiting for them. She was alone, and here he was, afraid to go inside and find her. He felt ashamed, and trying to summon some bravado, he realized there was a force shield up ahead. Monsters were colliding with it, exploding on impact.

"That's it," yelled Jonouchi, "We are so close!"

When they hit the field, everything lurched back before shooting forward. Their monsters stayed close, making it through, and Jonouchi felt ready to throw up when they crossed to the other side.

Then the machine started to fall apart. The wings broke and the hull was snapping, Mai screaming as she was almost dropped towards the rocks below as the entire back aft fell through. Jonouchi grabbed her, pulling her close as Mokuba called out for Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The monster snatched Mokuba with its claws, and Yugi was gathered by his Dark Magician. Harpie Lady picked up Mai, and at the last possible moment, Red-Eyes Black Dragon grabbed Jonouchi by the tunic before he could fall with the rest of the ship.

He thought he was going to be sick. There was nothing but air underneath him, and he closed his eyes before being unceremoniously dropped on hard earth.

"Jonouchi, are you alright?"

Mai came to his side, brushing his hair before giving him a hug. The armor was hard, but Jonouchi could feel the tops of her soft breasts pushing up against his chest, and that made his stomach flop.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, touching the back of his head before trying to keep from blushing. "We made it, right?"

All the monsters disappeared. It was just the four of them.

"Yeah, we're good," declared Yugi. "Let's go find Kaiba."

Making their way inside, they were greeted by a large stone spiral staircase in the center of the grand hallway. "Which way should we go?" Mai asked, looking up and down the cavernous hole.

"I guess we could always start at the bottom and make our way up," Jonouchi offered.

The journey downward was long and dark. Jonouchi could barely make out the steps in front of him, even though they'd acquired torches along the way. The stones were cold and damp and smelled slightly of mildew. Jonouchi's shoulder had accidentally brushed the wall once, and he shuddered noticeably, quickly wiping the scum off on this side of his tunic. He'd made sure to stick to the center of the staircase after.

They reached the bottom, the floor opening up to several dark hallways. Only one had a faint blue light in the distance, and all in agreement, the four set off. Their steps echoed loudly off the walls, the darkness thick. Their torches almost worked less here, and although Jonouchi was full of apprehension, he continued on.

Kaiba was at the end of this hallway. He was certain.

He picked up his pace. He could feel Yugi hot on his heels, the other two trailing close by. He felt stupid for it, but he began moving faster and faster, eventually breaking out into a jog. Yugi naturally kept pace beside him, probably more an unconscious effort to stay together than Jonouchi's own motivations. Jonouchi felt the guilt and shame burn like acid in his chest.

But he shook it off and continued running.

The light was getting brighter. Jonouchi raced through the entrance, skidding to a halt when he noticed the long brown hair falling over the captive's face. Beside him, Yugi mirrored his actions; Jonouchi couldn't tell which of the two of them had gotten there first.

"Nee-sama!" Mokuba cried as he threw himself at his sister.

"Mokuba," she spoke up immediately, lifting her head and opening her eyes before sighing in relief, "It's too dangerous, you shouldn't have come inside here."

Shaken from his momentary stupor, Jonouchi ambled forward, taking in the chains that bound Kaiba to the wall. "Well we're here, so no complaining, got it?" The metal was thick and heavy. Jonouchi tested one of the shackles around her wrist and received a sharp hiss in response. Kaiba was glaring daggers at him, but Jonouchi ignored it and simply stood back.

"Flame Swordsman," he called, and the warrior appeared, shining a bright orange against the dimness of the dungeon. Jonouchi wordlessly reached for his monster's sword; it glowed like embers in his hands. "Mokuba, stand back," he warned before slicing through the chains neatly. Kaiba pitched forward, Jonouchi carelessly dropping the sword to catch her. His warrior disappeared from beside him.

It took Kaiba a second to gather her wits before she forcibly shoved Jonouchi back, rubbing at her wrists and wearing a deep scowl on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest, giving each of them a pointed look before turning back to Jonouchi.

"Thanks for the catch, you klutz," she started, rubbing her wrists as she gave that haughty look of hers, "What are you dressed as, a monkey? Nice outfit, dork."

Jonouchi felt his entire face start to heat up, all the way down his neck, and for once was grateful for the darkness. Becoming fully conscious of his own clothing, Jonouchi finally focused and noticed hers. Compared to him, Kaiba was barely one to talk. Jonouchi hadn't seen anything like it - had never even _dreamed_ of such an outfit - and he found himself staring openly while Kaiba continued to scowl, Mokuba making angry noises from behind.

He was sent back to reality when Mokuba kicked him in the shin. Once yelling out in pain, he whirled around to find the kid running past him, colliding into Kaiba's arms as he was gathered into a bear hug of sorts.

"I didn't know what else to do," began Mokuba, "I didn't want them to catch you again, so I asked Yugi to help me. I'm sorry it took so long."

"Don't worry about it," Kaiba answered back softly, "But next time, don't drag yourself into danger for my benefit, got it?"

Mokuba nodded his head. He had a few tears in his eyes, which Kaiba wiped off before she ruffled his hair. "We got to get out of this game."

Mai strode forward, stopping in front of Kaiba and giving her a shrewd look. She peered down uncomfortably close to Kaiba's body and whistled. "Never knew you had it in you, Kaiba," she said appreciatively, "I've got to have this get-up made for me when we get outta here."

"It wasn't my idea," defended Kaiba as she glared even more, "The Big Five changed the game. I'd never sexualized my female characters to this ridiculous degree. The game was supposed to be for children."

"Nothing wrong with showing off the assets," Mai grinned. She turned around and snapped her fingers loudly. "Alright, boys. We've found our princess. What now?"

"Slay the dragon?" answered Jonouchi in a timid voice. "At least, that's what the woman said to do."

"Mm, and just where _is_ this dragon?" Mai wondered aloud.

"How good of you to ask!" boomed a voice from overhead. Kaiba's face radically changed, irritation changing to rage. Jonouchi looked all around, unsure of where the voice was coming from. It sounded like a group of men. "We were planning to slay the Princess and her brother, but you saved her! However, there will be no happy ending for any of you. We'll just use our cheat code and bring forth the dragon anyways!"

"That's against the rules," barked Kaiba defiantly, "You can't do that!"

"We can do whatever we want in this virtual world, Kaiba Seto," answered the voices, "And this time, we will get rid of you!"

Kaiba looked visibly disturbed. She had Mokuba close behind her, standing aggressively like some angry animal about to strike out at the next thing that got too close. One hand was latched onto Mokuba's wrist, who stood back as if unsure of what to do.

"We'll see about that!" Yugi boldly stepped forward. Only Jonouchi could tell this wasn't the normal Yugi - this was the _other_ one. Jonouchi watched as Kaiba turned toward the authoritative voice, her stance relaxing ever so slightly.

Jonouchi gritted his teeth, his fists shaking by his sides.

She looked glad to see him. Kaiba never looked glad to see Jonouchi, and he could feel his insides twist uncomfortably as his shoulders started to tremble. It felt horrible, but he was so mad. Why was he so mad?

"We will defeat you, Big Five," continued Yugi as he looked up smugly at the ceiling of the dungeon. Suddenly, the entire chamber changed. They were stuck in a digital blue coding kind of room, space empty nothingness as electricity rushed all around them. "You may make the rules, but we will prevail."

Jonouchi frowned. Yugi meant himself and Kaiba.

The Big Five just laughed. "We'll see about that..."


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry for a late update.

* * *

It hurt. Whatever Kaiba did to link the players' brains up to her virtual world was fucking scary. And it _worked_.

Getting hit by the Five-Headed Dragon hadn't been in Jonouchi's game plan. He'd wanted to ride the Duel out, be the one at the end to slay it, but when he saw the blast heading straight toward Mokuba...well, he just couldn't abandon the kid.

Not again. Not with his sister watching with terror in her eyes.

He'd been in the line of fire before he even realized he'd moved. Objectively, Jonouchi knew it was a stupid thing to have done. Mokuba wasn't nearly as skilled as he was in Duel Monsters - he'd remain an easy target for the Big Five. Owning one of the more powerful dragons of the game, Jonouchi should have stayed playing as long as he could. But he'd chosen to sacrifice

himself instead, trusting the others to continue on.

Yugi and Kaiba. Of course, they would win.

The brightness of the attack swallowed his vision. This must be what people meant when they talked about "a bright light." He certainly felt like he was dying.

Through the diminishing light, Jonouchi could just barely make out his companions' shocked faces, could see Yugi reaching out for him. He felt his lips turn up, fingers curling into a sign of encouragement before he saw nothing at all.

There was just blank emptiness for a while, Jonouchi swimming in hollowed consciousness before he felt someone saying his name over and over and over again, his brain suddenly starting to compute as he felt a headache approaching.

"He's still breathing," said a familiar voice, "He's not gonna die on us just yet."

Jonouchi could hardly tell who was speaking. His eyes wouldn't open, and he could only hear the voices around him.

"Kaiba, what are we supposed to do?" This time it was Yugi.

"Do I look like a nurse to you?"

There was a pause before another voice entered. "Jonouchi's tough, just give him a second to snap out of it. He has to be alright. We won the game, didn't we?"

Mai's voice was silent, and Jonouchi didn't hear anyone else speak.

"I think it's over," answered Yugi, "But we haven't left this place yet."

Suddenly his eyes opened, and Jonouchi found himself lying on his back, groaning once Yugi helped him up. His vision was spotty, but he was surprised to find himself surrounded by the group: Mai at one side, Yugi supporting his back with a helpful hand, and to his absolute astonishment, Kaiba. Her face didn't look nearly as concerned, but she was still there, Mokuba standing behind by a few meters.

"What the hell happened?" asked Jonouchi. His chest hurt. He was out of breath, and his entire body was shaky. It was like he'd been hit by a truck or something.

"You took one to the chest. Jonouchi, you saved Mokuba's life." Yugi was smiling. At least that was a good sign.

"I feel like I'm about to die," Jonouchi whined. He fell back down on his back, closing his eyes before he heard more talk around him. But he wasn't paying much attention to it anymore. Kaiba and Yugi were discussing something before Jonouchi felt himself lifted up. Suddenly things changed around and he had no sense of time or place before waking up back at the castle, laying on top of a bed.

He felt better when he opened his eyes. His limbs felt sore yet functional, like he wasn't grounded to the earth any longer.

"Jonouchi," spoke Yugi calmly, "We're still stuck in the game."

He was sitting next to him, his gaze comforting despite the seriousness in his tone. "You were the hero, Jonouchi-kun. You know what you have to do now for us to get out of here, right? The game has to be finished."

"What do you mean, 'finished'?" Jonouchi croaked as he pulled himself up on the bed, shifting hands through his hair and tugging hard. "I thought all we had to do was kill the dragon."

"Apparently it's not that simple." Kaiba had cut in. They were the only two other people besides Jonouchi in the room. She sat at the foot of the bed, staring at the floor as if she was about to vomit or something. "The program won't shut down. I can't override it from this side, and there's no one in the outside who knows what to do since Mokuba was the only other person I worked with on this. The failsafe code was ruined by the Big Five, so in all likelihood, we have to finish the entire beta test if we want to get out of here..."

"So explain it to me so that I'll get it," Jonouchi started, pressing a fist to his eyes. He wasn't coherent enough at all to make the giant leap from point A to point B by himself. "What's there left to do?"

Kaiba wouldn't answer, her face turning away so her gaze wasn't detectable. Yugi sighed. "Well," he answered, his face coloring a little around his cheeks, "You remember what that woman said. The hero has to marry the princess. That's got to be one of us, Jonouchi-kun..."

"That's the last chapter of the story," Kaiba added, her voice thin as she sighed too, "And then it should be all over. One wedding and a night. Between the two of you, figure it out already so we can get out of here."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Jonouchi floundered, openly gaping between Yugi and Kaiba. "You mean we _actually_ have to go through with that load of bull?" The thudding in his chest increased uncomfortably, his palms sweating against the bedsheets.

"It's a part of the program," answered Kaiba, "And there's no way to skip it."

His gut rose and fell at the same time. Jonouchi didn't even know such a reaction was possible. He turned towards Yugi, made several false starts, but found he hadn't any words in him.

"I didn't do that much this time," Yugi announced awkwardly, "I think it's your move now, Jonouchi-kun."

"What do you mean," Jonouchi whispered, feeling oddly defeated, "I wasn't even there at the end. I didn't kill the dragon."

"But you saved the prince," Yugi answered back just as quietly, as if trying to keep his words out of Kaiba's earshot, "Mokuba survived because of you. We've been waiting for you to reawaken because of it. Surely that must mean _something._ I think the game has chosen you, not me. Besides, I wasn't the one who got Kaiba free from those chains. That was _you._ "

Kaiba wasn't even looking at them. She was staring forlornly out the window, something like resignation written across her face. Jonouchi cleared his throat, feeling entirely too self-conscious but afraid any indecision on their part would give her the wrong idea. "Um, so I guess, what do we have to do, then? Is it just a matter of showing up?"

Yugi shrugged and Kaiba didn't answer. She probably wasn't even listening to them. Her back was turned and the only thing Jonouchi could see clearly was everything he didn't need to be seeing at that moment as his discomfort grew and his face turned hot.

"Okay, then-" As soon as the words left his mouth, a stream of attendants barged in, ushering his visitors out. Kaiba left silently without preamble, her face controlled and neutral while Yugi shot him one last worried glance. Jonouchi didn't have much time to process what was going on before he, too, was pulled out of bed and stripped, new, luxurious garments replacing the scraps of fabric he'd entered the game with. Hands were touching him everywhere, pulling hair into place and adjusting fits - it felt so impersonal that Jonouchi didn't even register the offense that he normally would have. He merely zoned out and let them take over, still reeling from the conversation just prior.

When he came back to himself, Jonouchi was surprised to find himself standing before an altar, Kaiba next to him. He blinked rapidly, unsure as to how he'd gotten there exactly, but Kaiba seemed undisturbed. She just stared at the chaplain as he spoke, but the words never reached Jonouchi's ears. He couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked. Her original outfit had been something else, but this - Jonouchi wouldn't have thought a wedding gown would have suited her, but it did. It emphasized her slender and petite frame, giving Kaiba a delicate air that Jonouchi would have never associated with her. A thin lace veil was pushed back behind her exposed shoulders, her hands tightly clutching an ornate bouquet of white roses, the barest flush upon her cheeks.

His blushing bride.

The chaplain had stopped speaking. Jonouchi felt eyes upon him and looked up to find it was Kaiba, her eyes a clear bright blue. He vaguely recalled something his sister used to prattle on about - perhaps an old wives' tale - and then Kaiba took a step forward, her chin jutted out in a challenge.

The rest of the church faded away as Jonouchi closed the gap between them, one hand reaching up to rest on the side of Kaiba's neck as the other cupped the side of her jaw. He realized with some surprise that he wasn't shaking. Kaiba was staring up at him through long eyelashes, her gazing directly at him, and Jonouchi had a moment where he thought she could see right through him. But then she slowly closed her eyes and waited, and he leaned forward to gently press his lips against hers.

Someone was speaking but the audio was strangely muted. The next place Jonouchi became aware of was a bedroom. It wasn't like the one he'd woken up in; this one was grander and low-lit, somehow comfortable yet foreign. He vaguely remembered a feast and then dancing among other celebrations, but those memories felt curiously removed.

The bed was soft underneath him. He was still wearing the formal attire from the ceremony. Jonouchi wondered if he was alone, but then he heard a noise from the other side of the room.

Kaiba was standing on a balcony ledge, the curtains pulled back as she had her arms folded across the guard rail, chin held up in the palm of her hand. That look of resignation was still on her face, and Jonouchi could clearly tell that she did not want to be there. It was also apparent that someone had dressed her up again; she wasn't wearing the wedding gown any longer. Her dress was like the one she wore before, only white and drapey, exposing the entirety of her bare back without all the metal detailing. It didn't leave a lot to the imagination, and Jonouchi felt a little bad for watching her, but he couldn't help it.

The silence was deafening. She hadn't said a word towards him since he'd woken up, despite playing along with the game. Jonouchi wasn't quite sure how to even feel about that.

"What are you looking for?"

"Nothing. I'm not looking for anything." She turned her head, glancing at Jonouchi for a fraction of a second before looking back out over the ledge again. "I just can't believe I got myself in this mess..."

"Well, it's almost over, right? It _should_ be over. We went through the whole... marriage thing." Jonouchi gulped. God, why was it so hard to say?

"I think there was a bit more to it than just 'marriage,'" snipped Kaiba as she dropped her shoulders and narrowed her eyes slightly at the nightime view, "But whatever. Unless the Big Five are complete sick-in-the-heads, this should be over by the end of night.

"Just because we are in the same room doesn't mean we are required to speak to each other, either."

"Am I really so intolerable?" Jonouchi said in a low voice, still watching her from his perch. "Seems like a pretty boring way to pass the time."

"What, were you expecting something more 'exciting'?" snorted Kaiba. "I'm here because I have to be, not because I want to be."

Rolling his eyes, Jonouchi pushed off the bed and wandered the room slowly. "I'm not an animal," he sighed, finally coming to a stop just an arm's length from Kaiba. He, too, stared out at the darkness. "How's Mokuba? I didn't really get to ask before...all that...just happened."

"He's perfectly alright... probably won't ever forget any of this," muttered Kaiba, "Not that I will anytime, either. When you nearly got yourself killed during that duel, he was worried that you'd actually really die, but clearly, that wasn't going to be the case."

"You sound disappointed," Jonouchi laughed, turning around to lean against the window ledge. He vaguely registered that Kaiba could easily push him over if she so desired to, but he ignored that fact.

"I didn't want you to die," Kaiba said in a serious tone, her eyes turning straight to look at Jonouchi in the face, her features tense before she relaxed a little, "Mokuba was my responsibility. He shouldn't have come in here in the first place, but I can hardly control what he does anymore."

"He was just worried about you," Jonouchi said softly, "We all were. That's why we came."

"You were worried about me?" Kaiba snorted before looking back out, "You don't even like me. You came because of Yugi."

It was Jonouchi's turn to snort. "When did I ever say that? I was the first to volunteer to save you, I'll have you know."

"What?" For the second time that day, Kaiba looked at him with a startled expression. Her eyes were so big, Jonouchi could clearly make out the color of her iris from the black of her dilating pupils.

He was hit by a sudden wave of embarrassment and was glad for the dimness of their room. "Don't act so surprised," he muttered while slightly hunched before straightening out. "I don't know why you think so poorly of me, but I've always been looking out for your welfare."

"You have absolutely no reason on earth to," answered Kaiba quietly, "It's not like I've ever been good to you. What's the point in it?"

"I don't know," Jonouchi replied truthfully, "I guess it's the same as why you act so badly toward me. There's no rhyme or reason to it; I just do." He smiled at her before fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. "I can't help it."

"I act badly towards everyone," Kaiba deadpanned. "Everyone except maybe Yugi..."

"But right now you have me. Couldn't you just try…?" He didn't really even know what he was asking her for, but he asked anyway.

Kaiba blinked, her face appearing perplexed before she stepped back from the ledge. "I guess I don't have much of a choice but to," she replied, her eyes scanning the room, "You're going to talk my ears off regardless of if I want to listen to you or not, so I might as well just adapt for the time being..." Then she turned around, taking a seat at the foot of the bed, placing one thigh on top of the other as her shoes slipped off of her feet. "You are my 'hero', after all..."

Jonouchi grinned and shook his head before joining her, propping a leg up on the bed as the other dangled off the side. "A 'thank you' wouldn't kill you, you know," he teased.

Kaiba rolled her eyes. "Thank you."

His grin grew wider. "You're welcome." He drummed his fingertips against the bed, looking around nervously, unsure of what to do with the silence. "So this was all you, huh? What do you plan on doing with it, now?"

"Are you talking about this program?" Kaiba looked at Jonouchi confusedly before blinking and sighing. "I hardly know. The entire storyline is ruined. It was supposed to be high fantasy mixed with Duel Monsters for kids to enjoy. This whole 'save the princess' nonsense wasn't so sexist before... I'm pretty sure the Big Five changed it just so they could humiliate me. They knew how I felt about this sort of thing... these degrading clothes. I can't wait for it to be over."

"They look nice on you, though." It had slipped out before Jonouchi had a chance to think twice. Might as well throw caution to the wind. "But I liked your ceremony dress even more. You looked really beautiful. But you'd probably look beautiful in just about anything…"

Kaiba didn't answer. Her cheeks were a rosy pink and it took Jonouchi completely off guard that it was even possible to make her blush over compliments like that. She looked too embarrassed to look Jonouchi in the face, Kaiba swallowing before she adjusted sitting with her legs crossed.

Without thinking, Jonouchi reached the edge of the thin fabric of Kaiba's skirt that was fanned out across the bed. It was smooth and light; felt like water through his fingers. "I know this marriage thing isn't real and all, but I feel pretty damn lucky right now, anyways."

"Hmmm, and why is that?" laughed Kaiba. She was still avoiding eye contact, her gaze clearing across the room. But she didn't squirm away from him, either. He knew how alienating she could make someone feel when she wanted to.

"I get to enjoy the company of the most beautiful and intelligent girl in the world all to myself," he spoke shyly as he continued to toy with the fabric. She didn't seem to mind. "C'mon, admit it - it's not so terrible being stuck with me, is it?" He tapped her on an ankle.

Kaiba snorted. "You're not too awful," she admitted. "I think with Yugi, it would have been horrible. I would have had to get on one knee just to get through that kiss. I don't think I could live something like _that_ down ever, virtual world or not..."

"Or get Yugi a stool to step up on," Jonouchi laughed. "So then I take it that my _kiss_ wasn't so awful, either?"

"It was better than bearable," answered Kaiba, "But you could work on some finesse. You didn't seem like you knew what you were doing until you were doing it."

"Cut me some slack." Jonouchi grinned as he swatted at Kaiba's closest thigh with her own skirt, "I was up there in front of all those people…" He sighed before looking up at her, "I could always give you a re-try."

Kaiba looked away, a smirk on her face despite the blush that still lingered on her face. She wasn't really encouraging him, but she certainly wasn't pushing him away, either. It was a little confusing to figure out. Jonouchi wasn't sure if he was reading her correctly, but this was probably the only time he'd ever get close enough to try figuring her out.

If he was with Mai, she would have been giving him clear as day signals. But Kaiba was a different creature entirely and nothing she did was all that clear; she was subtle and probably liked it that way, too. Leave it to Jonouchi to take all the chances...

Scooting over to sit closer to her, Jonouchi paused for a moment to just look at her. It was silly how much his chest ached whenever he looked at her face. Opting for boldness, he carefully brushed aside her long brown hair before trailing fingertips down her jawline. When she finally looked back at him, Jonouchi looked at her in the eyes before closing his own and slowly leaning in.

It was much better the second time around. Without the hundreds of watchful stares, Jonouchi felt less pressure upon him, and this kiss was natural - easy, even. Kaiba lightly tilted her head, responding to the leisurely - almost relaxed - movements against her own lips. Her breath was a light flutter across his face, her breasts lightly brushing against Jonouchi's chest as she shallowly inhaled and exhaled.

Jonouchi pulled back and felt eyelashes whisper on his cheekbones, Kaiba's eyes blinking open. But before they had a chance to rethink things through, Jonouchi closed the distance between them again. His hand trailed up her bare arm, lightly grasping it as the other encircled her waist, the ends of her long hair brushing against his arm. And to Jonouchi's surprise, he felt hands gripping into the back of his jacket, pulling him closer as the other hand traveled up the nape of his neck.

His scalp tingled when he felt fingers slide through his hair. It was a new sensation, and it made his gut flutter briefly before another hand went down his back, tugging at his jacket before trying somewhat successfully to take it off. He wasn't sure what to think about Kaiba's sudden aggressiveness, but he certainly wasn't upset or ready to tell her to stop.

Her chest was leaning into him. He could feel her breasts fully against him, small yet firm, continually pressing into him as Kaiba moved onto her knees so they were facing each other. He didn't think they even knew what they were doing at this point; he'd been so frustrated for a long time, and it felt too good to stop.

Kaiba pulled back first, although the tips of their noses were still touching as she tried catching her breath.

"None of this is actually real, right?" she asked quietly, breathing hard as her eyes fluttered open to search Jonouchi's face for an answer.

He licked his bottom lip, batting away the nervousness ready to bloom in his chest. "It's as real as you want it to be."

"And how real is that?"

"Kaiba, I-" But Jonouchi never completed his thought; Kaiba leaned in to kiss him this time, surprising him with her surge of urgency. A part of him told himself that it didn't matter how real it was - it _felt_ real, in this room that didn't exist, in a world of just numbers and code. He was sure he would remember it all when they got out, and surely if Kaiba remembered the same…

He was pressing her into the bed, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her long, lean legs pinned around him. Jonouchi felt hands all over him, vastly different from the ones that morning and working in reverse. And his hands were everywhere, too, memorizing the softness of Kaiba's skin, every curve, and dip and swell from back to hip.

Time seemed to slow down when he found himself underneath the sheets of the bed. It didn't occur to him how he'd gotten there; their clothes were scattered across the mattress, and the room was chilly. Everything was dim, yet he could make out Kaiba's eyes in the darkness, and he never lost sight of them. He wanted to touch and feel and treasure every moment that came after, feeling his body tighten with every movement until he couldn't hold back from releasing the pressure, molded into Kaiba's body in such a way he could only describe as art.

Maybe he was just being stupid, but he felt so happy and content. Almost immediately, he wanted to do it again, but he was also tired and despite whatever lingering desire that still coursed through him, Jonouchi couldn't for the life of him find the energy to continue on another round.

For the first time in a long time, he was perfectly tired. He still touched her though, saving the memories as he kissed Kaiba's face and listened to her sigh. Lying under him, she appeared relaxed... more relaxed than he'd ever seen her. Certainly more relaxed than whenever Yugi was present. It made him smile, and he lifted himself off before resting next to her, touching her hair as Kaiba silently lay next to him watching.

What could he say after something like that? Were things going to change between them? Jonouchi didn't think Kaiba owed him anything, certainly, but couldn't they at least be friends? Could he at least mean something more to her than an irritation... just a person worthy of her time, because he cared for her, too? He wanted to know. A small part of him was afraid to ask.

"Kaiba, listen," he spoke very quietly as if scared of hearing his own voice. "I don't want us to be strangers anymore. I don't expect this to mean anything more than what you want it to, but I like you and I care about you. Could we make an effort to mean something to one another besides pretending to be strangers? I'd just like you to acknowledge me, that's all I'm asking from you."

With a hand on Kaiba's shoulder, Jonouchi felt her stiffen before she opened her mouth to answer him. He didn't stray his gaze away. She shifted in her spot, her eyes soft and fingers touching his cheek and her lips moved but Jonouchi couldn't understand what she was saying.

The words in his head weren't her words. They didn't sound like Kaiba.

"Jonouchi, it's over. Jonouchi, wake up."

He shook his head, but then a wave of pain overcame him and he fluttered his eyes open, assaulted briefly with light before he saw faces around him, none of them being Kaiba.

"What the fuck is going on," he muttered, realizing that he was still stuck in the pod, his body dripping with sweat, eyes hurting as he looked at Yugi and saw him smile.

"You got killed in the game," Yugi cried, "I was afraid you'd actually die. Kaiba and I had to finish the Big Five without you, but it's alright now."

"I don't understand..."

Anzu briefly glanced at Honda, who frowned.

"You don't remember getting killed?" asked Yugi. "The Big Five's monster hit you when you tried protecting Mokuba. We finished the game just now and escaped. I think you've been stuck somewhere else. I felt like I was falling before I woke up..."

"Yeah," Jonouchi tried getting up, but he found himself shaking. "Falling. I felt something like that."


	21. Chapter 21

They were three months out until graduation and Jonouchi didn't know what to do. High school had been one of those weird paradoxes that seemed to have slogged by across the days, but now that they were reaching the end, it seemed to have all blitzed by. Jonouchi had never taken school all that seriously but now that his future was right in front of him, and he didn't have a _plan_ , and his everyday routine of school would nearly be over... well, now he'd been regretting not paying attention for the past two and a half years.

He was the only one out of his friends not taking the Center Shiken. Hell, even _Honda_ had plans to sit for the test but Jonouchi figured that was more to appease his middle class parents than anything. But even though Jonouchi was spared the stress and endless nights of cram school, it still felt... lonely. Like he was being left behind, and he wasn't even out of the gates yet.

He didn't really have any dreams or aspirations. Didn't know what he'd even study at university if some parallel universe converged and got him there. Didn't even have a plan for vocational school. Jonouchi had worked throughout high school as a necessity but all of those jobs had been dead-end wage positions that didn't require any real skill.

What was he even good at? Jonouchi didn't know. He wasn't particularly talented at anything or gifted with a brilliant or academic mind. Sure, he enjoyed dueling, but was that even a viable career path? There were much higher-skilled Duelists out there, so what made him think he could even compete? And where would he even begin?

Jonouchi noted with chagrin that the only thing he'd ever been good at was applying bruises to people's faces. But those days were long past him and resorting to using his natural brute for a career didn't sit well with him.

He was good with his hands. Before, when he hadn't needed to worry about bills, Jonouchi had spent his pocket change on model kits. He'd been good at assembling them, too. But that wasn't any kind of professional job. Perhaps the closest thing would be a mechanic, which he could go to vocational school for or just pick up the knowledge on the job…

Just thinking about the future made his stomach turn. His guidance counselors had already given up on him, stopped chasing after him to fill out his post-graduation plan sheet. Anzu would still get on him about his grades but even that had started to diminish as she started to seriously focus on her own. Yugi had inquired once or twice about Jonouchi's plans but after receiving stuttered excuses and deflections as replies, he'd gotten the clue to stop asking.

Sighing as he stared at the familiar form in front of him, Jonouchi ran his hands through his hair and pulled, squeezing his eyes shut. The paper, as expected, was completely blank. Jonouchi didn't know what to write, if he should even bother filling it out at this point. It was probably just a formality by now. He slumped in his chair and chewed on the end of his pencil.

Christmas was in a couple of weeks. Yugi had invited him over this year. Jonouchi was excited to spend the holiday with his best friend - pig out, exchange gifts, and spend the day goofing off - but the person sitting in front of him made those pure feelings just turn into depression.

It had been six months since Mokuba had run to them that rainy night, begging for their help. Six months since they went into the virtual world and rescued Kaiba. Six months since that cruel dream, which had been nothing _more_ than a dream.

Kaiba had acted like nothing had happened afterward. She'd given them all terse thank yous but then life returned to its boring normality. She barely acknowledged any of them, except to hurl insults or to occasionally talk to Yugi. Their conversations were always short but sometimes Jonouchi could detect the barest of smiles, the slightest shifting in posture, an almost indiscernible softening around her eyes.

Why couldn't it be him? Jonouchi had the sad realization some time ago that he wasn't even qualified for runner-up - he didn't even come close to placing. No matter how many times Jonouchi tried to prove himself to her, Kaiba just refused to see. When he caught her in a particularly good (or nasty) mood, she'd take pleasure in throwing jabs in or baiting him, but those were really the only responses Jonouchi got out of Kaiba these days. Only negative ones. Sometimes he wondered if he should just stop trying to be likeable, just meet her taunts with equal venom of his own.

It would probably be more satisfying. If he could just turn all these feelings into hate, expunging them from his consciousness. Then he wouldn't have to deal with them. Wouldn't have to constantly feel so shitty for holding onto hope. The sickly, fluttering feeling on the rare moments her eyes would meet his. The tingling goosebumps whenever she would walk by a little too closely. The crushing disappointment upon waking. Jonouchi felt so fucking weak, so beyond frustrated.

And soon it would be Christmas. The holiday full of couples and stupid cutesy gifts and fucking overpriced cake. And the saddest of all - Jonouchi _wanted_ it, and he wanted it with her. But it would never, ever happen. She would never look his way. There would be no fretting over present purchasing, embarrassing gift exchanges, or holding cold hands and kissing in the snow.

All these feelings just made him feel even more like a loser. No dream, no plan, no future, no girl. He was just the lamest existence on Earth. Almost eighteen years old, and what did he have to look forward to?

Kaiba seemed stuck in her own little world. She barely spoke at all during study hour. Dutifully sitting in her seat, she just read over study material (which Jonouchi seriously doubted she needed) and ignored everyone else around her. When Chono-sensei did try leading the class in something, she was the only one who routinely and blatantly blew her off and didn't get reprimanded for it.

Jonouchi found himself trying to look over her shoulder, to see what she was writing. What could someone like Kaiba write? Wasn't her future already settled? He wondered sometimes if Kaiba even planned on going to college... it wasn't like she needed it, anyways.

He didn't think he was being all that noticeable but Kaiba did turn around at one point, giving him a very pointed look.

"I was just curious," muttered Jonouchi. He felt slightly embarrassed but not enough to really apologize for his rudeness. Kaiba just narrowed her eyes at him, huffing before she looked away from him.

"Try not to be next time," was her answer, which only made Jonouchi's face sour.

How could she be so- so- _rude_ and not get tired of it? It had to take some effort. Kaiba never looked happy.

"Oh excuse me, _your highness_ ," Jonouchi hissed, "I must've forgotten that you rule the friggin' world and we all must submit to your demands." It was a bitchier reply than he would've normally given, but at this point, he really didn't care about much of anything anymore.

Kaiba's eyes constricted as her face tensed up. "What's your damn problem with minding your own business? We wouldn't have an issue if you were capable of keeping your eyes to yourself."

"I'll remember to bring blinders next time I feel like looking around the classroom," Jonouchi rolled his eyes. Why the hell was she so damn secretive, anyway? It's not like Kaiba was dealing with national security secrets in fucking study hall.

"You don't look around the classroom," snorted Kaiba as she rolled her eyes and smirked slightly, "Just at me. So quit it already."

"Sounds like you're the one watching me," Jonouchi scoffed.

"Hardly."

She turned back to working on her sheet, seeming to no longer notice Jonouchi anymore. Her eyes were fixated on the paper, scribbling away in her perfectly neat kanji as Jonouchi found himself boiling inside from being so easily disregarded. It was just like her. So typical.

"...Maybe if you didn't breathe so damn hard down my neck, I wouldn't have noticed."

"Whatever, Kaiba," Jonouchi sighed. He was already tired of it. Folding his arms on his desk, Jonouchi laid his head down and let his eyes wander across the room, trailing over Kaiba's unmoving dark brown hair, the dreary sky outside the window, and then glancing over to the spiky head of hair across the way. Yugi was staring at him, his eyebrows furrowed and the edge of his mouth dangerously close to being pulled down. But then the expression melted, and he gave Jonouchi a small, warm smile and a tiny wave.

Closing his eyes, Jonouchi further buried his face into his arms. Great. Now he got his best friend all worried about him, too. Things hadn't been exactly strained with Yugi, but- they hadn't felt quite normal, either. Jonouchi was certain he'd hidden any weird feelings he'd been harboring - it wasn't like it was Yugi's fault in particular for any of it. And Jonouchi hadn't wanted his best friend to feel weird or affronted, so…

But there were times when Yugi would stare at him for just a heartbeat longer. When his normally bright eyes would cloud at the edges. When his smile was certainly masking concern. It made Jonouchi feel horribly guilty - perhaps he wasn't doing such a great job at hiding all these ugly feelings, after all.

Yet another thing he failed at.

When would this end? Jonouchi felt like he couldn't take much more of it.

 _Why couldn't he hate her_?

His life would be so much easier if he could. No more complications. He longed for simplicity. Feeling the dejection well up inside him, Jonouchi gave up and dozed until the bell rang.

He zoned out for the rest of the day, falling into a spiral of mopiness that didn't break until after school ended. It was snowing, and while most of the students were delighted, Jonouchi took no excitement over it. For once, he passed up on going to Yugi's place. His mood just wouldn't fix itself and he didn't feel like bringing down the group, so he took off before Yugi could try asking him about his confrontation with Kaiba during study hall.

It was lonely riding the bus alone, though. Sitting in the back, Jonouchi peered over the different Domino High students and the business people who were scattered about. It was funny. In so many years of forced education, he'd only made three real friends. Still unsure about Ryou, Jonouchi was not quite ready to consider him one, but they were at least on friendly terms.

Outside, it was becoming cold, and holding his coat close to him, Jonouchi tried running upon leaving the bus stop to get to his apartment sooner. The sun was starting to set, and after making a quick stop to a convenience store to get some dinner, Jonouchi scrambled to the edge of the district, running up three flights of stairs before reaching his room.

No one was home. The place was surprisingly clean, and it became noticeable that Jonouchi's father hadn't been hanging around since picking up a new construction job. There was an envelope on the table. After placing his food in the microwave to heat it up, Jonouchi ripped open the top, smiling a little when he pulled out a check.

At least his father was good for something, when sober. Rent money.

Taking his food, Jonouchi settled on the futon and turned on the TV. He didn't have any schoolwork to finish, thank goodness, and using his chopsticks, he chowed down on pre-made spaghetti and meat sauce with egg slices before flipping channels.

"The one night I'm home, and the only thing I can find to watch is stupid anime," mumbled Jonouchi under his breath. It didn't interest him in the least, now that he hadn't been following up on shows. Channel flipping, he landed on the Dueling Network, but it was just a boring repeat duel between two semi-amateurs that didn't really interest him.

Finally, he settled on the news.

"Today, an entourage from the Egyptian government arrived at Domino City to prepare a very exciting new ancient Egyptian show at the Domino Art Museum exhibiting the first ever evidence of Duel Monsters being played as a game between pharaohs," announced the newscaster.

That didn't sound believable, yet Pegasus had confirmed it. Interest piqued, Jonouchi titled his head.

"All Duelists are welcomed to the exhibit," spoke the dark-skinned lady on the screen, her garb exotic and eyes bright and piercing. Jonouchi wondered who she was. Did she know Pegasus? That asshole had gone to Egypt, so it seemed likely.

"I especially would like to extend an invitation to Kaiba Seto," said the woman. "A private viewing for the youngest National Champion Duelist. I have a feeling she will find this exhibit very interesting..."

Her career as a student was soon ending, and it was about time. No longer would Kaiba have to waste a third of each of her days sitting in a classroom, enduring being lectured at over subjects she already knew. Compulsory education was just that - a checkbox to be fulfilled, to appease the government. To show that she was a capable guardian and leader of her company, proof presented in a scrap of paper that really meant nothing.

She'd long been capable. Attendance was merely a test of her patience.

In three months' time, she'd no longer have to worry about it. She could focus on things important to her, like her brother and leading Kaiba Corporation into a new growth phase. After all, without fresh ideas and products, Kaiba Corp would stagnate, and that was unacceptable. After all the trouble (twice-over) with the Big Five, the last thing Kaiba needed was her Board breathing down her neck over falling stock prices.

She could leave behind the dowdy uniform. The non-ergonomic desks that always left her back aching. The stupid stares and whispers from classmates whose names she never bothered learning.

It would also mean not seeing Yugi or his group of idiot friends on the daily. Not having to suffer their inane conversations would be a blessing, and Kaiba was sure she'd run into Yugi at tournaments and other Duel Monsters activities. They were rivals, after all. He was the only one capable of matching (and besting, she admitted begrudgingly) her strength, and it would just not do to have him drop off the face of the planet. Her pride wouldn't allow that.

And that mega idiot, Jonouchi. Who always gave her the strangest stares, who for some reason kept prodding at her although she's made it clear she wasn't interested in the least over whatever it was he had to say.

He was a strange one. For some reason, instead of completely shutting him out, at times, Kaiba would entertain him. Mostly at his expense, but he commanded more of her attention than she cared to admit. It was true - she noticed him noticing her. But wasn't that awareness only natural? Sometimes she felt like she had a bullseye strapped to her chest when it came to the fool. But his interest in her perplexed Kaiba thoroughly. It's not like she was ever particularly nice to him, and yet he still made it a point to get into her face, worm his way into her business.

Why did he care so damn much? First Duelist Kingdom, and then that whole fiasco in _Duel Monsters Quest_. Mokuba had run both times to Yugi and his group for help, and while Yugi in the end had always been the one to come to her aid, it was always Jonouchi who'd stood out.

And that was entirely too embarrassing of a fact to acknowledge.

The fool just didn't know when to quit. Kaiba didn't know what his deal was, and she honestly didn't care much to find out. She had no time for such trivialities. Not when she would soon become a full-time CEO. Not with Kaiba Corp's future lying ahead of her.

Not with this invitation to address.

Ishizu Ishtar, General Secretary of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. Just what was _her_ deal? Surely it wasn't just promoting the historical appreciation of Duel Monsters. No, this invitation... felt more like a challenge.

What could this woman possibly have to show Kaiba that she felt was worth Kaiba's time and interest? To call Kaiba out like that, publicly... whatever Ishtar's motives were, it was almost guaranteed that she wanted something.

And everything came with a price.

"It is an honor, Kaiba-san." The woman had her head dipped low, a thick curtain of black hair obscuring her face. When she looked up with a smile, Kaiba was greeted by shockingly blue eyes that were rimmed with dark kohl. "I am Ishizu Ishtar, the curator of this exhibit."

Ishizu led them down the brightly-lit hallways, Kaiba a suspicious half-step behind. She eyed the foreigner out of the corner of her eyes. "My appreciation for the invite, but... I deal with computer technology. I don't know what mummies has to do with Kaiba Corporation. Please tell me you brought me here for something besides looking at artifacts that don't interest me, or else you're just wasting my time."

She wasn't quite sure even why she'd come. Kaiba had been busy at her office when the invite appeared. Mokuba was watching television and Kaiba routinely blocked out the sounds of the news reporters when she was concerned with her work, but Mokuba seemed adamant about her coming to the art museum to see what it was about.

It didn't help either that Ishizu had called the mansion. Somehow she managed to learn the private number and while Kaiba was irritated at the invasion of privacy, she also had to respect Ishizu's determination to get her attention. Hopefully it was for good reason.

"Oh, I trust that you'll find this quite in alignment with your interests," Ishizu said lightly, "Tell me, Kaiba-san. You're very proficient at Duel Monsters. I'd even wager the cards are something you value the most in this world. Did you know that they were originally from Egypt?"

"No..." Kaiba felt a little surprised by that, but she tried not to let that show on her face. "What are you trying to get at?"

"As you know, Pegasus J. Crawford designed the game you currently play. But few people know that the game only came into existence because of a trip he went on to Egypt," Ishizu replied. They were reaching the end of the hallway, a darkened room their destination. "What you are about to see is part of a pharaoh's tomb mural. I wonder how different from his reaction yours will be when you lay eyes upon it," she continued with a mysterious smile as she stepped into the room. The lights flickered on.

There was a giant stone with characters on it, the markings resembling those of duel monster cards. Kaiba felt her heart skip a beat. It didn't make much sense. How did a kid's card game come from something so old? Pegasus had never mentioned it to her in the past, and that made Kaiba clench her jaw a little as she gathered her composure.

"Why did you invite me to see this?" Kaiba turned her attention to Ishizu now, glaring slightly as she stepped away from the tablet. "I'm not interested in history lessons."

"I'm sure you'd already know them," Ishizu said with a hint of amusement as she approached the large stone tablet. "This is the origin of Duel Monsters cards. Each inscribed section you see represents an evil that was sealed away, and the high priests would summon those monsters for battle...or Duels. But there's one thing in particular that I would like to show you." She moved forward four steps, her sandals silent against the marble floor, and gestured to a second stone tablet.

When Kaiba looked upon the second tablet, she felt suddenly faint. It was like a jolt of electricity had struck through her core, and she nearly dropped the briefcase that was in her hand.

"Yugi?" She blinked before moving a step closer. "That's impossible. This must have been fabricated. What kind of garbage meeting is this, Ishizu?"

"I don't know this ' _Yugi_ ,'" Ishizu said evenly, never taking her eyes from the stone, "This depiction is that of the pharaoh who controlled a black magician battling against the high priestess who controlled a white beast. It is the Duelists' War, something that even three millennia later still continues. The pharaoh's name, however, is unknown. His cartouche was defaced, all other accounts wiped from history. But the nameplate indeed indicates that he was a king."

"This is a joke," snapped Kaiba. She could feel her patience began to wane. Why was she wasting her time listening to this nonsense? For all she knew, Ishizu made it all up and was trying some ploy to get finances from Kaiba Corporation, for one reason or another. "Is this even carbon dated? How do I know this piece of junk in front of me is even real? I'm not interested in listening to your ancient Egyptian fairy tales, so unless you have something actually _important_ to say to me, I'll be leaving."

Ishizu remained unfazed. "Ancient works are often the inspiration for modern creations. The same is no different for Duel Monsters; Pegasus was led by _fate_ to create the game." She gently stroked at the glass, between the space where the pharaoh's and priestess's outstretched hands almost touched.

"The white beast and her master - you cannot deny the resemblance. You know in your heart it is true. The fate of the pharaoh still drives us three-thousand years later."

"I hope you have something more to say than going on about that giant rock," snapped Kaiba, "This conversation is getting old."

"And far be it from me to waste your time, Kaiba-san. Then allow me to address the second reason I called you here. Are you aware of the legendary rare cards Pegasus made but never distributed?" At Kaiba's shocked look, the other woman merely pointed to a section further up on the large tablet. "The three palettes above are the three hidden gods of Egypt," Ishizu elaborated, "Obelisk the Tormentor, Osiris the Sky Dragon, and Ra the Sun Dragon. It is said that only the Duelist of all Duelists may command these cards, and that person shall be known as the King of Duelists."

"King of Duelists, huh?" remarked Kaiba with a snort, "And pray tell, what did dear Pegasus do with the cards? He's dead, so it's not like he needs them now."

Ishizu finally broke her attention from the tablet, turning the full force of her gaze upon Kaiba. "That is why I called you here: I would like to request your assistance. The reason why those cards never made it into the game was because Pegasus regretted their creation - they were simply too powerful. If used by the wrong person, they could even take an opponent's very life, and so they became forbidden. With our help, he sealed them away deep in the Valley of the Kings, but it recently came to our attention that someone has stolen them…"

"Stolen them?" Kaiba smiled, crossing her arms against her chest before shaking her head. "Pegasus never had any kind of common sense. Did he really think locking them up in a dirt pit would stop people from trying to find them? Who stole the cards? Do you even know what group was responsible for the theft or are you asking me to seek them out for you?"

That wasn't going to happen. Not out of the goodness of Kaiba's heart, at least. If there were rare cards out there in the world that might be able to stop even Yugi, Kaiba was going to get them for herself.

"The Ghouls." Ishizu's face was neutral, but the disgust behind her voice was clear.

"And so what do you expect me to do about a bunch of cards that you inconveniently lost?"

"Return them to me," Ishizu said, turning to stare back at the stone. "I specifically chose this town to house this exhibit, as I believe this palette has a power that will naturally attract Duelists here. And if you were to harness this gathering of Duelists…"

"And if I was," Kaiba mimicked, her lips raising into a smile but her eyes not following, "What would I get from return? I don't do charity."

At least, not outwardly. Kaiba didn't want people to make a habit of coming to her when they needed things fixed they were too incompetent to handle themselves. If she was going to do anything about those "Ghouls," it would be for her own benefit.

"I shall lend this to you." From out of nowhere, Ishizu produced a card and boldly offered it to Kaiba.

Taking it, Kaiba felt a strange surge when her fingertips touched the card. "Which one is this?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the image as she felt overwhelmed with sudden emotion, unsure of where it was even coming from.

"The God of the Obelisk," Ishizu announced, "It was the only one we were able to keep safe. This should aid you in retrieving the other two God Cards."

"If I choose to help you," added Kaiba as she pocketed the card and adjusted her clothes. "Do you know how much of an undertaking it is to host a world tournament? You are asking for a lot, Ishizu. Why should I do this for you, all for a card loan?" Kaiba chuckled, shaking her head again before taking a step back to grab her briefcase off the floor. "I should keep this card for myself."

Ishizu merely smiled in return, her eyes bright, the gold of her necklace reflecting in their depths. "Because you and I are simply pieces to a larger puzzle, a different game, if you will, set in motion long before we were ever born. I'm sure you'll come to understand as you battle with that card in your deck. And...woman to woman, I trust you."

Kaiba snorted. "We'll see how far that attitude takes you."

What a strange woman and an even stranger turn of events. Starting a tournament didn't seem like a bad idea, but Kaiba wanted it to be on her own terms. She didn't like card sharks, naturally, and having the excuse to compete against Yugi seemed like a good idea.

However, there were so many other things on her plate. The planning and organizing would take weeks, if not months, to complete. No tournament of hers would be rushed for the sake of some foreigner. Kaiba didn't work her business on foolish whims, and she'd host her corporation's first world-wide competition right, if she even chose to...

Dueling Yugi now privately would certainly earn her a victory.

Kaiba left the art museum. The card felt heavy in her coat and she walked quickly through the building, remeeting with her guards at the front entrance before getting into the back of her car. There was plenty to consider, but first, she had to test Obelisk's power. How could she even be sure that Ishizu wasn't lying about the card's potential.

"A card even Pegasus was afraid of," remarked Kaiba smugly, "How cute."


	22. Chapter 22

The months had passed, without incident, and winter had given way to the early reaching of spring. Graduation, too, had come and gone, but Jonouchi found that life hadn't changed all that much for him. Aside from not having to attend classes six days out of the week, he was working full-time, or as much as the shop allowed. He'd quit his part-time gigs in favor of a mechanic job which he'd gotten with Honda's help. Honda, too, was working there part-time - the fucker had _just_ managed to pass the Center Shiken, and so his family had encouraged him to study part-time at a community college. When Jonouchi had been told the news, he'd been merciless in his teasing - Honda seemed _embarrassed_ by the whole situation, not really enthused by the prospects but too reluctant to let his parents down.

As expected, the rest of the group had all passed their tests. Yugi, in a move that was at once surprising and completely expected, had turned down his university prospects to continue working at his family game shop (although how he'd managed to get accepted into _two_ universities, Jonouchi couldn't figure out). He was determined to become a professional Duelist one way or another, a future his grandfather wholeheartedly supported, although Jonouchi frequently heard Yugi's mother's rather vocal disappointment whenever he came over.

Anzu, in a rather bold move, had also turned down universities in Tokyo to pursue opportunities in America. When she wasn't working to save for the tuition and moving costs, she was in the dance studio, tirelessly working on her technique and artistry. Jonouchi never saw much of her, but when he did, she always appeared exhausted and would curiously dodge questions about work. He never pried too far, though - knowing Anzu regularly turned to violence when cornered, Jonouchi didn't exactly feel like being on the receiving end of her fists or elbows. Discovering her stint in Burger World had been enough of a scare, thank you very much. But Jonouchi admired her a lot of chasing after her dream, even though he'd never admit it.

He didn't see much of Otogi or Ryou, either. The former's days had been consumed by dealing with rebuilding the Black Crown, and Ryou's father had returned from his latest excavation to spend his son's last few weeks of free time together. Ryou had been accepted into a university in Tokyo and would soon be moving away. Although Jonouchi was sad to see a friend leave, he inwardly released a sigh of relief at not having to deal with the guy's weird occult shit on the regular anymore.

And Kaiba… After graduation, she'd all but disappeared again. Not like before - Jonouchi still saw her on the news every now and then, and sometimes around town he'd catch glimpses of girls he thought could be her, but every time he looked a bit harder, her figure would disappear. Or she would turn, and brown eyes would look back at him instead of blue. Kaiba had barely attended the graduation ceremony before she bailed without a word. Jonouchi knew he shouldn't have expected anything more, but some stupid, masochistic part of him still held on to hope.

Jonouchi was now eighteen years old, working full-time to support himself (although begrudgingly still living at "home"), and life was just so _boring_. He never thought he'd miss his time in high school, but at least he'd been able to see his friends on an almost daily basis. He still had the same problems, but isolated within the bubble of student life, the world felt carefree. Endless. Now, the weight of responsibility that came with the cusp of adulthood was a boulder rolling downhill, ready to crush him.

Sometimes he wanted to run away. Most days, he submitted to the daily grind of waking early, reporting in for his eight hours of work, attempting to maintain his friendships, finding sustenance, and caring for his father somewhere in between (Jonouchi never knew with the old man - sometimes he'd be there in the morning, other times he'd be gone for days and materialize during the witching hours, drunk and slurring).

And Duel Monsters. Jonouchi had less time for the game now, but he refused to give it up altogether. He still loved playing, still loved his cards, and seeing Yugi's determination - and familial support - simultaneously awakened a twinge of envy and fierce encouragement. He was excited for his best friend, of course - if anyone could make it on the professional circuit, it was Mutou Yugi. But still. Jonouchi wished he could be there right with him.

As if he'd ever get the money to play in the competitive circuits, though.

Whenever they hung out together, Jonouchi tried not to think too hard about it. The thought of being left behind just made him feel so depressed. He'd tried so hard during Duelist Kingdom, and Jonouchi had only a few regional tournaments even before that.

There was no way on earth he was still a terrible Duelist. Jonouchi certainly thought he'd learned his lesson.

There was no point in angsting over it, either. Outside enjoying the spring air, he sat with Yugi outside downtown, eating convenience store food near the big fountain as people walked by. It was growing dark, and Jonouchi inhaled his onigiri while Yugi admired the scenery.

"You know, Jonouchi," spoke Yugi after some silence, "You could be a professional Duelist, too, if you wanted to. Have you ever given it any thought?"

It was like Yugi had been reading his mind.

"Yeah, of course I have," Jonouchi began, scratching at the back of his head and feeling uncharacteristically embarrassed, "But I don't think it's in the cards for me, Yug'. There's no way I could finance that kind of life, especially with my dad and all."

"What about sponsors?" Yugi blinked before eating one of his pieces of candy, "I'm sure you could get some. You were second place in a major tournament and not many Duelists have that kind of accomplishment under their belt, you know."

Jonouchi shrugged. "I'm still a punk kid, though. I don't have time to go around courting sponsors when I've got bills to pay and a job to work. It's been months since Duelist Kingdom, anyway, and it's not like anybody has come lining up at my door."

"You should try, though," said Yugi quietly.

It got a little awkward after that, though. Yugi went silent, and the sky continued to darken until the lights of the skyscrapers and all the giant flashing TV screens lit up the city into a hazy kind of warm glow. Jonouchi couldn't remember the last time he was out so late, and there were so many people out.

Suddenly, all the screens went blank before music played, each one playing the exact same tune before the familiar KC logo appeared, shining and spinning slowly before changing to show Kaiba Seto's pristine face.

"Greetings, Domino City," she spoke, "A week from now, this will become the new battleground of my upcoming Duel Monsters competition, Battle City!"

People in the streets stopped, some appearing confused while others smiled from excitement. Jonouchi could just feel his stomach take a flip when he looked directly at Kaiba's face.

"All five-star level Duelists are welcomed to compete, but there will only be one winner." She started speaking about the particulars, which Jonouchi only half-paid attention to. There would be ante rules applying to the game, which would put his Red-Eyes Black Dragon on the line. He didn't feel comfortable with that, but at the same time, there was a possibility of improving his deck with each win.

Kaiba was distracting. It was different watching her speak without worrying about her passing judgement on him.

"There's only five days to sign up before the war for the King of Duelists begins! All players must have a Kaiba Corporation-manufactured Duel Disk system to participate!"

She lifted her forearm, a strange mechanical device shifting its gears before Kaiba dropped her arm back to her side.

"Go to your nearest gaming supply store before they run out. All eight-star players will be given one free of charge, as a courtesy."

Jonouchi gulped. There was no way he could afford that, could he? The more Kaiba spoke about it, the more he was sure he wouldn't be able to. The Disk created its own holographic images, like the prototype back in Duelist Kingdom. If Kaiba had redone it, the images were probably even more vivid, and there was no way she'd be selling that on the cheap.

"I don't think I could afford one," mumbled Jonouchi.

"Don't worry about it, I can help you out," smiled Yugi, "I want you to play with me."

"I can't keep relying on you, Yug'," Jonouchi sighed. He turned and ruffled Yugi's thick spikes, a small smile tugging at his lips, before staring out into the sky. The faint glow of stars dotted the darkening sky, struggling to shine through. "But I appreciate the offer."

The image of Kaiba disappeared. Screens turned white as everyone looked up into the sky as a helicopter interrupted the gasps from the crowd below, Kaiba hanging off a ladder as her white trench coat billowed in the wind.

"I extend a personal invitation to Mutou Yugi," she spoke, her voice loud over the microphone as Jonouchi felt his skin begin to prickle. She was using a headset. Yugi smiled, his face calm and determined, eyes sharp... Smile was wrong. It was a smirk. The Other Yugi had appeared.

"Face me on the battlefield," Kaiba declared, "So we can see who the champion is really."

The day before the tournament started, Jonouchi and Yugi set out to obtain their Duel Disks. It'd taken much cajoling from Yugi to convince Jonouchi to accept the loan, but after the fourth or fifth time it'd come up in conversation, Jonouchi had finally relented. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful; he just didn't like being in that position. Yugi had already foregone the prize money from Duelist Kingdom to give to Shizuka - money that had been rightfully his. And now this. Jonouchi just didn't want it to become a trend.

But after Kaiba had specifically called out Yugi... it would be even worse to not even show his face during the competition. Not after all his proselytizing about being a "true Duelist" and all. His pride could handle a small loan from a friend, but it wouldn't stand for _that_.

He had to prove that he was legitimate. Jonouchi wasn't sure if he had a chance at winning. He didn't play as often as others, didn't have as much professional experience. But if he could at least make it through to the finals-

Well. Maybe Kaiba would recognize him, too.

It'd taken some sleuthing to figure out a shop that still had the Duel Disks in stock. The only place they'd found had been across town, in a rather remote location. But if they were going to compete, they'd have to make the hike.

"Hey Yugi, I'm actually surprised that your gramps didn't get any shipments," Jonouchi mused aloud as they navigated the foreign streets, "I mean, ya'll owning a game shop and all."

"Yeah, but we aren't connected to Kaiba Corporation," replied Yugi back with a small smile, "I think only certain vendors got the shipment."

"Oh, I had no idea," Jonouchi said as he raised his arms behind his head, "Guess Kaiba just wanted to make it more difficult."

"I'm not quite sure about that," Yugi laughed, "This game shop is old and pretty small compared to some of the more popular, big name corporate stores. We're more like a mom and pop shop, you know?"

Thankfully Sugoroku wasn't around to hear and protest.

"You're not a hole-in-the-wall, either," Jonouchi grinned. He watched their progress on his phone's GPS, the tiny blue dot moving along its path. "We should be getting there any moment… Ah, there it is!"

They ran over to the shop, peering through the window before bursting inside. There were barely any Duel Disks left, and Jonouchi almost felt his heart begin to drop before Yugi came up to the counter shyly.

"We'd like to register for the Battle City tournament," he announced.

"Let me see your ID."

Yugi handed it over, and the man at the counter grinned when he realized who Yugi was. 

"You are an eight-star player," smiled the man, and he picked up one hefty looking box before placing it into Yugi's arms, "You get your Duel Disk complimentary."

"Way to go, Yug'! What about me?" Jonouchi barged over to the counter, eagerly thrusting his own ID out to the store clerk. He grinned at Yugi widely.

"Let's take a look and see."

The man smirked at Jonouchi's picture before breaking into a loud string of laughter, "You don't even qualify, you're just a two-star player. Better luck next time, kid."

Jonouchi's face instantly fell. "That can't be right," he almost yelled, smacking his hands atop the display case, "Check again."

A _two_ star? Out of _eight_? There was just no way. He'd ranked so highly in Duelist Kingdom! Sure, he didn't have many other accomplishments under his belt, but… Surely Kaiba wouldn't have struck _that_ below the belt.

"Listen punk, when I say you're just a two-star-" the man began, but then his eyes trailed back down at the screen, his eyes widening before he caught himself. "Big mistake," he laughed nervously, shaking his hands around frantically, "You're actually a five-star player. Congratulations, kid, you got in."

The man quickly shoved a Duel Disk into Jonouchi's hands before typing quickly into the computer.

"See! I told you!" Jonouchi crowed. He felt so high, like he could rocket off into space that very instant. "So uh, how much do I owe?" he asked in a more subdued tone, eyes flickering nervously over to Yugi.

"Oh don't worry about it, kid," waved the shopkeeper. "I made a dumb mistake, it's on the house."

"Seriously!?" He was beaming, and he knew it. He knew he should've appeared humbler, more gracious, but shit - was this his lucky day or what? Now he didn't have to owe Yugi (again).

Jonouchi waited until they'd exited the shop to jump for joy, throwing his heavy box into the air and catching it before swinging it around. He thumped Yugi on the back, hard. "Looks like we're both in! And neither of us had to pay a single yen, either!"

"Yeah, but I wonder why..."

"Who cares?" Jonouchi snorted, "You don't question luck." He gave Yugi a broad grin and a wink. "Hey, how about we head back to your place and prepare for tomorrow? Maybe add some new cards to our decks and even test these babies out?"

"Yeah sure," agreed Yugi with a light smile, "sounds like a great idea."

After raiding Sugoroku's booster packs (they both got a few decent pulls), Jonouchi and Yugi clambered up to Yugi's room, his mother promising to bring up snacks later. Jonouchi immediately dumped his Duel Disk from its box and began examining it from every angle. Yugi, meanwhile, merely flipped through his deck, separating the cards into tiny piles and deliberating over the qualities of each.

"This thing's pretty bulky - I hope it's comfortable enough to wear all day," Jonouchi began as he fiddled with its controls. "Although since Kaiba's the one who made it, I'm sure she kept that in mind."

"Hmm, maybe," agreed Yugi, "But she's also tougher than most other duelists. She might not care too much about comfort."

"True," Jonouchi laughed, "Maybe she's a sadist. 'If you can't suffer this much, then you aren't a _true_ Duelist,'" he mimicked in her voice. "Whatever, I'll show her what I'm capable of."

"Jonouchi-kun, you shouldn't let her get into your head so much."

Jonouchi frowned. "She doesn't," he protested. His frown deepened. "I mean, you should understand where I'm coming from, right Yug'? She challenged you publicly and all… Doesn't that make you, I dunno - wanna prove yourself?"

"Kaiba-san respects me, so I don't feel like I need to do any more than I already have," answered Yugi quietly. "I mean, of course I want to duel well. But I want to duel well first and foremost for myself. I enjoy playing. I want to have fun.

"I want to duel against Kaiba-san again, too, because I think she could be a fun person to compete against, since things have calmed down..."

Fun? Wrinkling his nose, Jonouchi eyed Yugi but didn't comment. Yugi and Kaiba's last Duel... had been far from fun. For both him and those who had been watching.

"I'm a little nervous, though, having to put my Red-Eyes on the line like that... but think of all the cool cards we might come away with!"

"I don't like putting my Dark Magician on the line either, but that's why I plan to win!" laughed Yugi. "It's a good way to get some awesome cards. I think this will be good for you, Jonouchi."

"Yeah! It's time for me to kick some major Duelist butt! Everyone will know who Jonouchi Katsuya is by the end of this tournament!" He punched the air in excitement, nearly dropping his Duel Disk in the process.

"Be careful," laughed Yugi as he reached for it, trying to save the heavy equipment before Jonouchi thankfully caught it himself. "I don't think anyone will help you get another one if you accidently broke this one," Yugi advised, "And we have no idea how expensive these things are."

"You're right, I shouldn't push my luck that far, huh?" Jonouchi grinned, cradling the contraption carefully to his chest.

"That's like your life force now, Jonouchi-kun. You gotta be careful with it."

"No joke," Jonouchi agreed. If something were to happen to this thing, that would be the end of the tournament for him. He wasn't about to be struck out by something so embarrassing.

"So," he strapped the Disk onto his arm, giving Yugi a devilish smirk, "How about it?"

"I like it better than Kaiba-san's first model," laughed Yugi, "What do you think of it?"

Jonouchi arced his arm back and forth, twisting it and giving it a jiggle. "It's a whole lot better than tossing that yo-yo thing around. The cards are probably more secure with this one, too." Chasing around ejected cards was just not an ideal part of dueling. "Hey, put yours on, too - let's give these a go!" 

"I think we should wait until the tournament," said Yugi as he chuckled a little bit, "I don't think summoning monsters in my cramped bedroom is going to work out too well."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Jonouchi pouted as he carefully put the Duel Disk back into its packaging.

"I mean sure we'll get plenty of chances to try this thing out though during the tournament. I'm excited. There are so many people who will be competing, and I know I'll get to go up against Kaiba again..." Yugi smiled, his gaze distant. "It's been so long since we've both played in a major competition."

Jonouchi kept his eyes fixed upon the box and picked at one of its corners. He wished he could have the same ability to declare a desire to duel Kaiba without worrying over the serious probability of losing his best card in the process. He knew it was an innocent comment, that Yugi hadn't meant anything by it, but it was just another reminder of the different levels the three of them were on.

"Of course," Jonouchi smiled and prayed to all things holy that it didn't look like a grimace, "With the way you duel, you're practically guaranteed a spot in the finals. And since it's Kaiba's competition, she'd better make it there."

"I'm sure she will. She's a phenomenal duelist."

"I wish I was a good as you two. I'll just be happy if I make it to the second stage of the competition. Maybe a sponsor will notice me, y'know?"

"You're bound to get all sorts of attention, Jonouchi, as long as you play well. Just don't get overconfident," warned Yugi. "Think clearly and I'm sure you'll be at the finals right alongside me. I know you can do it. You just have to play smart."

"Me and smart don't really belong in the same sentence," Jonouchi laughed as he scratched at the back of his head. "I know I tend to rush into things without thinking. I need to remember to slow down and not get so worked up."

"They'll probably be a lot of duelists playing that we've met before, too," noted Yugi. "You can't let them try getting under your skin, Jonouchi-kun."

If only it were that easy. Yugi was such a small thing, had been constantly bullied in his past - how did he have such inner strength? He was the exact opposite of Jonouchi, who only felt outer strength - what he could demonstrate during physical battles. "You're right," he said, pasting another smile on his face, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Jonouchi, I believe in you."

"...Thanks."

They spent the rest of the night analyzing and reorganizing their decks and dreaming up different scenarios of what they'd face in the morning. Yugi went over some battle strategies based off Jonouchi's new deck, and Jonouchi was glad for the tips. It probably wasn't the wisest idea to change up his cards right before a major tournament, but he knew his deck as it was wouldn't cut it against new competition. He'd have to spend all night memorizing his new cards' rules…

"Crap, look at the time! Sorry, Yug' - I didn't mean to stay late."

"You can stay over if you'd like," offered Yugi gently, "I don't think mom or anyone else would mind if you just slept on the couch downstairs or something. It's so dark outside and kind of dangerous..."

Mainly in Jonouchi's neck of the woods. Everyone knew about that neighborhood. Yugi was always worried about it, and usually Jonouchi would just appease him by staying the night, but he felt too dependent on him, still.

"Nah, you guys already let me stay for dinner. Plus, I'm probably gonna stay up all night reviewing my cards, so I don't wanna keep you all up…" True, it would be the safer thing to stay at Yugi's, and he always left a packed bag here, too - but.

"I don't really mind..."

Yugi frowned as he turned his gaze towards the ground. "Just, be careful out there." He smiled timidly before putting away his deck.

Jonouchi gave Yugi a playful knock on his head before gathering up his belongings. "Who do you think you're talking to?" he winked.

Stepping outside, Jonouchi was beginning to regret his insistence. The night air was chilly and damp, and not anticipating being out so late, Jonouchi had only worn a thin jacket that had sufficed while the sun had still been out.

"This sucks…"

He quickly darted down the darkened streets, wanting to get home as soon as possible. Tomorrow would be a long day, for sure, and he still had much to do in preparation. Jonouchi hoped that his father wouldn't be home so that he could conduct his business unhindered, but he was sure his luck most likely wouldn't stretch that far.

The moon hung full and clear overhead, surrounded by a hazy halo of ice. Soon Jonouchi arrived at the border of his ward, but a sudden prickling sensation along his neck set him on guard. He turned a corner, and three cloaked figures stepped out from the shadows, blocking his way.

"Who are you?" Jonouchi asked in a low growl. Just great. He didn't have time for this shit. Just what did they want? And he was carrying precious merchandise with him, too… He literally couldn't afford to have it broken in some skirmish.

"We are the Rare Hunters," announced the figure in the middle, brandishing a Duel Disk. "Jonouchi Katsuya, I challenge you to a Duel."

When did he become so useless? Last night, and now here… Yugi was once again bailing him out of a pinch.

Jonouchi had never felt so scared in his life. But the sight of Exodia - it's rasping dead breath and clinking chains - had frightened him beyond belief. He'd only ever seen it from a safe distance, but facing it up close, having his body consumed by its attack…

Had it been the same for Kaiba?

And now Yugi was no longer the wielder of Exodia but its challenger, his opponent's deck filled with Exodia cards, and Yugi none the wiser. Jonouchi had pleaded with Yugi, begged him not to go up against the Rare Hunter, but Yugi had dismissed him.

" _Stand back, Jonouchi_!"

It seemed like something he always did, stand back and let someone else fight his battles. When did he get this way? And when he'd tried to at least _warn_ Yugi-

" _Quiet_!"

He appreciated it, really. Jonouchi knew Yugi meant no harm, was trying to right the wrong against him and was determined to see the both of them enter the tournament together, but it felt humiliating all the same. And it was all going down in the middle of the town square, with Duelists all around to witness his shame.

With how rotten his luck was turning, it would be no surprise if Kaiba were to show up at this exact moment. Laugh in his face at having been screwed over before the tournament even began - probably kick him out of the competition. He should've just saved Yugi the trouble and bowed out before it even began…

What sucked even more...well, Jonouchi couldn't exactly say it _sucked_ , since it was to his benefit, was that Yugi had figured out the Rare Hunter's tactics in only three turns. Jonouchi hadn't even noticed it the night before until it had happened, the summon slithering up on him and striking before he'd even had a chance to register what had been going on. It was yet another example of the gaping gulf between their abilities.

With just two cards, a spell and trap combination, Yugi crippled his opponent's deck. He didn't even have to really _fight_ , he'd just outsmarted the guy. It hadn't been long at all before Jonouchi's Red-Eyes was handed over as victory spoils from the battle.

"I can't take it, Yug'."

Yugi just stared at Jonouchi wide-eyed, looking perplexed as the crowd who had gathered just moments ago finally dissipated. The card was in front of Jonouchi's chest, and he watched it longingly, but made no move to reach and grab it.

"What do you mean?" Yugi tilted his head. "I won it back for you."

"And I appreciate you getting it back," said Jonouchi as he felt his facial muscles strain under the weight of his words, "but I can't take it. I can't keep being saved by you. I gotta fight my own battles."

Yugi went silent. They both stood there for a moment, people walking past them before Yugi finally answered.

"I see."

No, he didn't see. Jonouchi didn't think Yugi ever would. Sure, he relied on friendship to get past Pegasus, but Yugi was so capable on his own. He could do anything. Beat any challenger. As a no-name duelist, he'd taken down Kaiba Seto, the national champion, and she even saw something great in him. Pegasus, the creator of the game, had sought him out, and now every professional player in the world was probably striving to go up against him.

And what was Jonouchi next to that kind of talent? The pathetic side kick?

"Yugi," Jonouchi answered gently, "I can't keep doing this. I gotta fight for myself. When I get my Red-Eyes Black Dragon returned to me, I want it because I beat you in a duel."

Yugi looked up at him, his wide eyes unsure but he caught himself quickly, nodding and smiling.

"Sure. That sounds great, actually."

"Yeah?" Jonouchi was a little nervous. Without his Red-Eyes, he only had his Time Wizard as an offering, the card he'd gotten as a gift. If he was to lose it, well, Jonouchi would never be able to forgive himself.

But he'd never be able to forgive himself for taking Red-Eyes back while Yugi stuck out his neck for him _once again._

"I'm gonna duel like a warrior in this tournament," promised Jonouchi, "I'm gonna go up against everyone I can and take them down. I'll take any challenger, and when it comes down to the finals, I'll win my card back against you, Yug'. I promise, I'll get my card back from you with honor."

Yugi nodded, his smile bright.

"I'll be ready when you're ready, Jonouchi-kun."


	23. Chapter 23

He'd taken the challenge because the little dinosaur brat had told him he had no chance of winning, but now Jonouchi was beginning to wonder whether he should have re-thought that line of thinking. Everyone else had shirked away from the guy calling himself Esper Roba after he'd won two Duels in a row, but it had made for even more reason for Jonouchi to challenge him. Wasn't that what this tournament was for - to test one's strength against other Duelists? Jonouchi was never one to run away, and he wouldn't begin to today.

But this guy...he was almost unreal. Spouting some weirdo shit about the "law of the cosmos" and channeling Pegasus...Esper Roba was a real nutjob. A nutjob whose self-proclaimed telepathy seemed to be more of the real deal with each passing turn.

Jonouchi still hadn't found his footing in the Duel. He'd wasted - to his immense embarrassment - his first turn, having completely forgotten about the new "Super Expert" rules. Well, "forgot" was a bit of a stretch - the truth was, Jonouchi didn't really _know_ the new rules. He'd meant to study them along with his new deck the night before... and that hadn't gone to plan at all. And this kid kept predicting his cards, reading them off as though Jonouchi had them turned the wrong way in his hand.

He needed to calm down. Focus. If he screwed up here and lost his one puzzle card, everything would _really_ be over. Jonouchi had made a vow to Yugi, to meet him in battle at the finals. He wasn't going to be stopped here.

And not only that, but his Time Wizard was on the line. Yugi's gift to him. Jonouchi would never live it down if he lost _that_ card, as well. At that point, he wouldn't even deserve the cards - any of them.

Across from him, Esper Roba laughed, his white hair curtaining his pale face. He looked like some sickly, gangly version of Bakura. "Give it up already, newbie. I've never lost a Duel in my life."

"Then allow me to be your first," Jonouchi grinned in spite of himself, "I may be no psychic, but I know the finals are in my future. There's someone waiting for me there."

He just had to _get_ there. Easy, right? Jonouchi examined his cards, hoping for a strategy to emerge.

Maybe not so easy.

But… What was it that Esper Roba had said earlier? There was something strange…

Ah. So that was it.

It was his turn to laugh. One Graceful Dice-Skull Dice combo later, and Jonouchi had broken the flow of the Duel. "You're just a huge phony, kid. You assumed I had two Graceful Dice cards, because all you could see was the word 'dice' in my hand. So that means," Jonouchi looked around suspiciously, "that someone is spying on my cards."

Esper Roba spluttered, but he kept up the charade. It was frustrating that Jonouchi's trick wasn't enough to completely turn the tide of the game - his opponent was sly, taking over two of Jonouchi's monsters to summon his ante, Jinzo. His direct attacks fucking _hurt_.

He had no monsters and only 200 life points left. With only two cards remaining in his hand, he needed to stall until he could regroup, hide behind a shield…

In this situation, what would Yugi do?

Jonouchi shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. Yugi wasn't around to help him out. Wasn't the one time he'd been bailed out during this tournament enough? It was time to man up, stand on his own two feet…

"I summon Scapegoat!"

It would only buy him so much time... but at least it was something.

Two were blasted away almost immediately. Esper Roba's shrill laughter sounded again, his eyes menacing. He pointed at Jonouchi, his face snide. "Next time, I'll attack with _three_ monsters, and that'll be all for the likes of you. I won already, so just give it up - save yourself from further embarrassment." Esper Roba's eyes narrowed, "My prediction will come true. This outcome was just inevitable...Jonouchi the super loser!"

Now that was just below the belt. "I have an idea... why don't you shut your stupid face? It's still my turn!"

His opponent looked aghast, followed by seething rage. "Why? Why won't you quit!"

"Because I'm a Duelist." Jonouchi would never surrender; he'd fight until the bitter end, so that he could hold his head up high and say he fought with pride. He'd never back down just because things seemed impossible.

He drew.

Jonouchi's eyes widened slightly. He'd have to bet everything on this.

She had been cutting down Duelists all day. It was a little sad, actually. Kaiba had planned for the best of the community to compete in her city but the competition was as easy to tear through as tissue paper. The only thing that kept her from becoming bored by it all was the promise of finding Mutou Yugi and finally defeating him.

Obelisk was an unstoppable force. There would be no way for Yugi to escape his crushing death blow when their fateful battle finally arrived. As much as she liked Yugi as a person, Kaiba couldn't let her desire to win go.

Winning took precedence over all other things. Walking the streets of Domino City, she still was connected to Kaiba Corporation through the speaker in her collar but Kaiba would not be in the office until the competition was over. Mokuba trailed after her, as dedicated as always, to Kaiba's secret delight.

He had taken on the job as commissioner. As young as he was, he'd have to learn to be authoritative with players and enforce the rules. Mokuba was eager but also not well practiced, so as much as Kaiba wanted to let him defend for himself and learn, she stayed close without smothering him.

Mokuba was boundless with energy, investigating all over. Kaiba found it hard to keep up; one eye on him and one eye on competition, having to catch up with him once she beat a competitor. There was no holding him up as he sniffed around for cheaters (which was bound to be a problem, especially with the Rare Hunters around).

Someone had to keep an eye on him.

She couldn't remember where he'd taken off to last. Another Duelist meant another puzzle card and rare card, which Kaiba didn't even keep. Her vaults at Kaiba Corporation kept copies of nearly every card that ever was in print; she just tossed them back at her defeated opponents before taking off, face fallen from the monotony of it all.

Kaiba was alone on the street. She could hear raised voices coming from an alley, one familiar while the other was deeper and hostile. Coming closer, she made out the wild hair of her younger brother, and after catching a threat against him, Kaiba made herself known.

"You poor Duelist," she spoke, her eyes fixated on the teenager who stood several feet from her. His hair was spiked, and he had the look of a punk. Kaiba knew the type. "When you insult my brother, you insult Kaiba Corporation. Are you ready for the consequences?" 

Mokuba snickered as the boy trembled a little. He looked out of his element, just as Kaiba planned.

"Hyozanryu," spoke Kaiba neutrally as Mokuba presented the card. The punk was trying to bully a player who had lost to him. His heckling went against the rules, and Kaiba would not stand for anyone who disregarded her or bullied her players. "You demand too much for a card like this. I have thirty-six cards just like this one..."

Then, without a second thought, she ripped it apart.

Mokuba was quiet. The teenager exploded.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, you fucking bitch!" His face turned red and he clenched his fists like he was getting ready to do something. Kaiba just brushed her hands of the sticky paper.

"You would have lost this anyways," she laughed, "Because you're about to duel me. Right now."

The final margin had been so close, Jonouchi barely felt like he had won. And fucking _Baby Dragon_ had landed the finishing blow, making the victory seem even less heroic. But a win was still a win, and everyone had thought that Jonouchi would lose, so at least there was a little bit of vindication even though he'd won by the skin of his teeth.

Esper Roba was still on the ground after having faced a direct hit, and all around were murmurs and shocked stares.

"Well, that's what. And the rules say that you owe me your rare card and puzzle card, so hand 'em over," Jonouchi said, palm extended.

Esper Roba had finally pulled himself to his knees, his fingers trembling against the concrete of the plaza. He didn't even try reaching for the cards that had fallen from his hands. "Is this fun for you?" he bellowed to the crowd, tears streaming down his face. "Looking down on the loser?"

The murmurs only increased.

Although the eyes weren't on him, Jonouchi felt distinctly uncomfortable. He knew that feeling. He'd felt that way, so many times being the loser, but each time he'd always swallowed the shame - hid it behind a smile. Sometimes it hurt less than others, but it was never a good feeling to experience.

"Hey," he said, taking a step forward, "I'm not looking down on you. I just had better luck this time."

He was still crying, but at least Esper Roba had retrieved all his cards. He refused to look at Jonouchi.

Seeing such a pitiful figure, it was hard to hate the guy. "I think... if anyone here is looking down on you, it's yourself."

"Shut up! What do _you_ know!" Esper Roba sniveled, still facing the ground. "How will anyone ever respect me unless I win? There's no place for losers! I've only ever been good at card games - how can I protect my brothers now? Everyone picks on wimps and losers - you wouldn't understand."

Boy, did he ever. Jonouchi steeled his face. "Quit your whining; you're a man, aren't you? We're in Battle City - you've got to get up and fight again." He extended his hand, "Come on."

It was violently slapped away. "Fuck off, I don't need your pity!"

"Fine! Sit there and stew, for all I care!" He was just trying to be encouraging. Yeah, losing sucked, but it wasn't the end of the world.

"Stand up, big brother!"

Whoawhoawhoa, where the hell did that voice come from! Jonouchi looked around frantically, but the source was nowhere in sight. The voice had sounded strange, too: ethereal and light, as though from far away.

"Don't give up!"

There. It. Was. Again.

But no one was moving their lips. Holy hell, was that whole cosmic shit actually _true_?

With the spectacle over, the crowd began to disperse, revealing three short figures who all looked like variations of Esper Roba. "Big brother!" they cried in unison, the call echoing in static near Esper Roba's wrist.

Oh. So, the bracelet had been a radio receiver. The punk had been cheating after all.

The four siblings threw themselves at each other, the smaller brothers crowding around their older brother and clinging tightly. Esper Roba embraced them all with equal tightness, a new round of tears beginning to flow. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have made you guys do that stuff. I deserved to lose!"

Seeing such an affectionate display, it was impossible to hate any of them. Jonouchi's chest felt constricted. He hadn't seen his own sister since the operation, and he wondered how she was doing. Their mother had promised to send him progress reports, but after the first initial one, all Jonouchi had received was silence. And each time he'd called, the line would go dead after a few short rings.

What unforgivable thing had he ever done to merit that kind of treatment?

"You won, Jonouchi," Esper Roba said as he broke away from his brothers. He sifted through his deck and offered two cards. "These are rightfully yours."

Accepting them and carefully tucking them into his pocket, Jonouchi met Esper Roba's eyes. "Hey Roba...something better to show your little brothers is how to play fair. You're their example, so win or lose, you've gotta set a good one."

"Yeah," Esper Roba agreed, "We'll fight next time, just with our skills."

Jonouchi turned away, eager to find his next competitor. He stopped after a few paces and looked back to where Esper Roba and his brothers were still clustered. "You've got all of your brothers to support you, and I have my friends. Just remember that if you're not alone, you'll always find your strength."

Somewhere in this city, Yugi was battling. He and Jonouchi's Red-Eyes were waiting.

It had been so easy. Kaiba presented a briefcase full of rare cards and the kid had accepted the Duel. Mokuba snickered as he shut the case close and Kaiba just smiled.

They were going to duel in the alley. No audience, no thrills. Kaiba wanted to get it done quickly, anyway.

Within minutes of beginning the game, Kaiba was able to find and play her trump card, Obelisk the Tormentor. Her opposition had nothing to protect himself with. He screamed as the god card's fist came crashing down on him, leaving him stunned on the ground as his victim just stared in shock.

"Dueling you was child's play."

Mokuba ran over and snatched the puzzle card before handing it to Kaiba.

"Nee-sama, when are you going to play a real challenger?"

"When I find Yugi," Kaiba answered solemnly. Would there even be anyone else worth her attention? Unlikely. Most of the other duelists, even at the professional level, were hard at best but still didn't pose the kind of challenge Kaiba was looking for. She didn't remember ever being truly threatened while playing until she went up against Yugi...

He was passionate. Driven. His eyes held a kind of intensity that Kaiba knew she also carried within herself. Yugi lived and breathed games, understood them as well as she did. If Kaiba had any equal, it was him.

Even Pegasus was a disappointment in comparison. Couldn't win at his own creation without playing tricks to get the advantage.

Mutou Yugi would not disappoint her. He was an anomaly. Something to investigate and pick apart until she had him figured out. Until she could finally stomp him out. It didn't matter how long it would take; her mind was set. She didn't give up once she knew what she wanted.


	24. Chapter 24

The little shit had _stolen his Duel Disk_!

Jonouchi _knew_ he shouldn't have taken it off, should have just made the salaryman next to him deal with the inconvenience or move, but he'd kept bitching so much that Jonouchi compiled, just to give the server a break.

Well, he _had_ been smacking the guy with the thing. But the server at Beef Buster had been enthusiastic about Jonouchi's presence, even giving him pickles on the house as his blessing for Jonouchi's performance in the tournament. He wasn't causing _that_ much trouble…

Fuck. Now he had to track down the little pipsqueak, 500 yen poorer and an empty stomach, to boot. When Jonouchi got his Duel Disk back (and he would), he'd have to fucking weld that thing to his arm. Then whoever wanted it gone would have to cut his arm off. Good luck trying.

His stomach growled as he raced out of the shop and through the streets, nearly mowing down a group of pedestrians. He'd barely been able to take but a few bites of his gyuudon… And he'd bought an extra-large bowl, too - full of succulent beef and onions, dripping with sauce…

The kid was gonna _pay_.

Catching sight of the perp, Jonouchi closed in, quickly grabbing him by the back of his collar and hauling him around. "Gotcha!" He yanked his Duel Disk back and plopped the kid onto a nearby bench.

"I'm sorry!" the kid cried as Jonouchi affixed the Duel Disk back on his arm (and where it'd _stay_ , goddammit). He looked no older than twelve - and terrified. "Please don't hurt me, I won't do it again!"

Geez, did he really look that scary? Sure, Jonouchi had been royally pissed, but it wasn't like he was staring the kid down, cracking his knuckles or anything. "Why'd you try stealing it, anyway?" he sighed.

The kid balled his fists together as his face scrunched up in frustration. "I was just so mad! I'm a Duelist, too, but I lost my first battle, and the guy took my Disk and deck!"

"So, you thought to take Jonouchi's deck to try to challenge that guy again?" Anzu asked sympathetically.

When did she get here? Turning around, Jonouchi noticed that Yugi's grandpa and Ryou were with her, as well. He'd been so single-track-minded that he hadn't noticed their presence at all.

Nodding his head miserably, the kid peered up at Jonouchi with a frown. "I was gonna give it back…"

"I get where you're coming from, but you've got it all wrong, kid. Your deck is like part of your soul - even if you tried using mine, you probably would've just lost again. Only a deck's creator can bring out its true power." He sighed again. What a morning. "Look, I'll take care of it for you. If you can find that guy again, I'll fight him!"

"Ah, are you sure, Jonouchi?" Anzu butted in apprehensively.

"Yeah, shouldn't you see how strong this person is before you decide that?" Ryou added.

Jonouchi knew he shouldn't get all worked up over it, but they weren't Duelists. They wouldn't understand. "Like I care! I can't just let this guy get away with it. I can't stand people like him!"

The kid perked up at Jonouchi's intensity. "You'll do it, then?" He practically had stars in his eyes.

"You bet I will," Jonouchi muttered. This fucker cost him a good meal _and_ a bunch of trouble. Jonouchi would fucking _waste_ him.

"Then stay right here - I'll get him!" the kid shouted as he ran off.

Sugoroku appeared by his side, his brows drawn together. "I would check my deck if I were you, Jonouchi-kun. That boy might have taken some of your cards."

"You think he tricked me?" He'd seemed so sincere, though.

"I can't be certain, but…" Sugoroku murmured as he rubbed his beard.

Jonouchi felt his irritation bubble up again. "Isn't that too cynical, though?" he demanded as the trio went silent. Yes, he had already gotten burned twice and the tournament had barely begun, but the alternative was so much worse. "Where's your faith? How can you trust anything if you can't trust others?"

Yugi had taught him that. He'd placed his faith in Jonouchi several times, when he'd had no reason to. It was only right to convert the lesson into practice. Jonouchi didn't want to _be_ that person who never trusted others. How lonesome that must feel.

He wondered if Kaiba felt that way.

"Don't worry about me," he continued softly, "I have faith in my future. I'm going to keep going, keep winning, until I meet Yugi in the finals. And whether I lose or win, at least then I can hold my head up high and call myself a true Duelist."

It seemed a little sketchy, but Jonouchi was determined to give the kid a benefit of a doubt. Worst case scenario, he could handle anything that came at him. Jonouchi couldn't afford to get scared or second guess himself. Yugi wasn't around to coach him anymore. He had to start thinking for himself. And own his decisions.

Besides, he had someone who was looking up to him.

 _Shizuka._

She was still healing at the hospital, although the operation had occurred some time ago. They talked a little, whenever it was possible (Jonouchi's mother still hated him, some things never changed) and things were looking up.

But Shizuka was scared. She'd always been on the timid side, and now she was afraid to take her bandages off. How was she ever going to experience the world fully if she didn't strike up the courage? Maybe life scared her, thanks to their mother's influence. Jonouchi didn't know. But he didn't want her being scared anymore.

Jonouchi sighed. "If I win," he spoke, more to himself than his friends, "I'm gonna show her the face of someone who won his future. And the prize called 'courage'..."

Anzu nodded her head in agreement.

"If I can carve out that future for myself, I feel like I can show her a future, too. She's so afraid. I don't want her to be anymore."

"Well, how is Shizuka?" asked Anzu with a smile. "Is she doing well?"

Jonouchi shoulders slumped, his smile fading. "We talk...

"You know, Anzu, the thing is," Jonouchi continued, "if I can do this for myself, I can get to the finals. I want to duel against Yugi. If I duel from there, I'll finally be a true Duelist. I'll _be_ something. Shizuka will see that I made something of myself, and Yugi can see me as an equal."

 _And Kaiba, too._

"I want to be someone worthy of being looked up to."

He felt silly, looking at everyone's faces. Anzu continued to smile warmly, as supportive as ever, but Ryou looked awkward. Where was Honda? He'd told him this shit before.

"You can't tell Yugi my plan, though. I don't want him feeling sorry for me or anything. I gotta stand on my own two feet." Anzu nodded her head again, and Jonouchi smirked before drawing back to his last thought. "I only told Honda about my plan, and he's not even here to watch! Where the hell is that jerk?"

He hadn't seen the guy all day. It was unusual. Sure, Honda wasn't a Duelist, but he was nosy and liked to be with the group. Jonouchi knew he didn't have many other friends, and his family wasn't the type to pester him. Usually he would have said something if he was being held up because of something like that.

"Maybe he's on his way," Ryou interrupted. Anzu sighed as Jonouchi's impatience began to grow.

"Well, he already missed my first Duel!" Jonouchi blew up. "What kind of best friend is he?"

He took his anger and channeled it into the desire to fight. Stalking off, he walked towards the park, his friends trailing behind before he saw someone familiar standing in the field alone. They were short, wearing all green, looking unsightly against the more well-dressed parkgoers around them. As Jonouchi got closer, he realized it was Insector Haga.

 _Just great._

"So, you're that bully," yelled Jonouchi as he began shuffling his deck rapidly, his eyes burning from within, "you know what that means? It's time for you and I to have ourselves a duel!"

Jonouchi shuddered. His battle with Haga had already long ended, but his skin was still crawling.

He'd gotten played _yet again_. That punk kid had slipped in two of Haga's parasitic cards, nearly destroying Jonouchi's deck. And there had been nothing he could've done about it - they were immediate play cards, so all Jonouchi could do was scramble to keep afloat. He'd almost given up - Haga's strategy had been so well-planned - but thoughts of Shizuka kept him going. If he gave up now, how would he ever show his face to her?

But he'd won in the most satisfying way ever, using Graverobber to steal one of Haga's own cards to bring down his formidable Insect Queen. Seeing the hologram wither as bug spray rained down on it made it all the sweeter.

It meant he got Insect Queen as spoils of battle - a card he never really intended to use. But it felt good to take away that creep's most prized card: a small revenge for Yugi's Exodia cards. Plus, the little twerp had been ballsy enough to bet two puzzle cards, doubling Jonouchi's own.

As much as he hated to admit to himself, he'd have to be more careful from now on. This was war, and the competition was playing dirty. Jonouchi had no intention of bringing himself down to their level, but he'd have to take measures to protect himself. He'd have a much harder time getting to the finals if he kept getting duped along the way.

It was already midday, and while Jonouchi had won two duels, he still had two more puzzle cards to go before making it to the finals. He'd have to act quickly, since any number of people could complete the race before him. He'd already gotten sidetracked so much…

Jonouchi looked around the town square as people milled about. Most were just average citizens, although a few were Duelists already engaged in battle. He'd probably have to go elsewhere if he wanted to pick up some competition - he'd already won two Duels here, so it wasn't likely that anyone around would want to go up against him.

A flash of something familiar passed by. Jonouchi rubbed his eyes and looked again, then looked to his friends behind him. They were caught up in conversation, completely unaware.

"Hey, am I seeing things?"

Anzu turned around before blinking. "I see Kaiba and Mokuba... Hey wait, Jonouchi!"

But it was too late. He was already charging towards them before Anzu could get up from her seat.

"Hey, you! Yeah, don't act like you don't see me!" Jonouchi hollered as he got closer to the duo.

Kaiba stood for a second, not moving before slowly turning her head, only taking one step back as her eyes seemed to assess the situation.

"Jonouchi Katsuya. What a wonderful surprise," Kaiba deadpanned.

"My big sister is busy now," butted Mokuba as he smirked, carrying a silver briefcase with both hands, "You should go bother someone else that's more suitable for your level, Jonouchi."

At those words, Kaiba looked down at Mokuba and snickered. Jonouchi could feel his face growing hot.

"I'm already two for two, you little brat! You're not even a Duelist!" he scoffed, indignant.

"Oh? And you weren't invited. Last time I checked, you didn't even rate," Kaiba pointed out, her voice slightly venomous. "Why are you wearing a Duel Disk?"

Why did she always aim for below the belt? "Isn't that obvious? It's because I'm a Duelist," Jonouchi replied as he brandished it with a fist.

Kaiba stared at him blankly, not speaking for a good few seconds. Then, the corner of her lip just barely moving before shaking her head, she chuckled. "Very well."

And in her predictably Kaiba fashion, completely blew him off as she turned to walk off before saying another word, Mokuba laughing behind her.

 _Did she just turn her back to him_? No fucking way. Okay, he'd admit that they probably (most definitely) weren't on the same level, but for her to just dismiss him like that - like he wasn't even a worthy-enough Duelist-

That was just insulting.

"Hey! Come back and fight me! I'm challenging you, Kaiba!"

She stopped in her tracks, her head first turning before her feet followed suit. Her face was no longer amused. Now her expression was much more undetectable. Jonouchi couldn't tell if she was angry or simply irritated. Her eyes were as cold as ever, her lips tight.

"You'd be making a big mistake, challenging me in a public forum," spoke Kaiba icily, "Do you really want to embarrass yourself in front of your friends?"

"What better place to do it, so everyone can watch as I take you down," he smirked. Oh god, _what was he doing_?

"Take me down?" Kaiba laughed before shaking her head, like Jonouchi was some child saying a silly thing. "You don't even have Yugi to cheerlead you, and you expect to take on someone like me? A national champion? What reality do you even live in, idiot?"

"The reality where you'll be forking over one of your Blue-Eyes," Jonouchi shot back.

" _Over my dead body_."

She probably meant it, too. If Kaiba was willing to throw herself off the side of a cliff to win a duel, there was no telling what she would do to keep one of her cards.

Jonouchi exhaled deeply through his nose before flashing a wide grin. "What's one battle, anyway? Afraid you're gonna lose? C'mon, Kaiba."

"It would be a waste of my time," Kaiba replied, her face clearly unamused, "It would be quicker to just have you thrown out."

"But I'm here," Jonouchi said as he spread his arms, "It's not like we're strangers. What's one friendly match? It could be fun."

"I don't have time for fun," answered Kaiba coldly. "This is a major competition, and you think I have time to goof off?"

"Yes," Jonouchi said as he stared directly into her eyes, "You love Duel Monsters, right? If you love doing something, then it should be fun."

Kaiba didn't speak, but her facial expression said it all. Her eyes grew dark, a vein showing on her neck as she squeezed her hands into tight fists before stretching out her fingers repeatedly.

Now Anzu and the others were hanging around the sidelines, too, giving looks of their own.

"It doesn't have to be difficult," Jonouchi offered gently, "I just always wanted to play against you, that's all."

"Maybe in another lifetime," answered Kaiba dryly. She wasn't giving. Talking to her (or rather, sitting through her jabs) was exhausting and Jonouchi didn't have the patience for it. Especially with a crowd watching with interest. He didn't want to look the fool, least of all, to Kaiba, who was still snubbing his attempts at friendliness.

"You know what, Kaiba? Never mind. This is becoming more of a waste of _my_ time than yours. I don't even know why I try, and you're not worth the hassle. I'll find someone else to play with, since going up against an obsessive, spiteful person like you wouldn't mean anything. Can you even call yourself a Duelist? Whatever. You're just an angry little girl in my book."

Jonouchi thought he saw a flicker of real anger flash through Kaiba's eyes but he wasn't sure. Mokuba interrupted his thoughts before he could really sense what was happening.

"You watch your mouth, Jonouchi!" he screeched, the kid's hands turning into tight fists as his arms shook. "How dare you say that about my sister! You don't even have a-"

"That's enough," cut in Kaiba. Her voice was thin. Her eyes were just focused completely on Jonouchi, her hands cutting through her deck skillfully before pushing it into the card holder on her Duel Disk. "This won't take long, Mokuba."

Sh _iiiii_ t. What had his big mouth gotten himself into? Sure, losing here wouldn't mean getting kicked out of the competition - he had four puzzle cards, although he'd lose a rare card - but he was just about to be humiliated in front of a huge crowd.

And he'd _asked_ for it. Kaiba looked as though she could murder him right there and then, and Jonouchi felt a coldness seep down his neck and chest, as though someone had dumped an entire bucket of ice water on his head. He numbly reached for his own deck, standing stock-still and feeling oddly out of body.

Something sharp and gritty hit his eyes, a sudden blast of air kicking up all the dried leaves and debris on the city streets. There was a strange chugging sound that grew louder and louder until it was almost deafening, and Jonouchi's reflexes kicked in, allowing him to jump back before a heavy rope ladder could hit him in the face.

"Kaiba-sama, an Egyptian God card has just been played!"

The noise was coming from Kaiba, but it wasn't her voice. Jonouchi could barely make out the sound against the giant spinning blades of the helicopter, but he knew what was going on. Kaiba grabbed the ladder, helping Mokuba up before giving Jonouchi a smug look.

"You've just been saved," she said before turning her attention back towards the machine. Her hand pinched her collar before she was lifted off the ground, the helicopter rising into the air. Everyone gasped, kids whooping excitedly as Kaiba departed into the sky, Mokuba waving to the crowd.

What a dramatic exit.

"That's right, you run, you coward!" yelled Jonouchi. He waved angrily at the sky, but a sigh of relief left him once Kaiba was out of sight.

His heart was racing, and his cards felt slippery in his hands. He needed to control himself better - Kaiba's timely departure was the only thing that had gotten his sorry ass out of a very bad situation. Jonouchi knew she would have wiped the floor with him, but there was always something about her that got him worked up and over his head - it was practically a compulsion by this point.

He left himself crumple forward, palms braced against knees, and then he laughed. "Ah shit, talk about luck!"

"Jonouchi, you moron!" Anzu came running to his side, taking a hard knock at the back of his head before grabbing his arm and shaking him. "Did you want to be thrown out of the competition? What the hell went through your head, challenging Kaiba like that? Do you have a death wish?"

"Ow, Anzu, that hurt!" Jonouchi cried as he pried himself out from her grasp, rubbing at his now-sore head. "I dunno, it seemed like a good idea at the time!"

Okay, it really _didn't_ , but he wasn't about to admit that she was _right_.

"Why," asked Anzu, her question stressed as she gave out an annoyed sigh, "Why do you need to get after Kaiba like that? It's getting ridiculous, you know."

"I dunno what you're talking about," Jonouchi said as he rolled his eyes, "And anyways, she's always going around all serious like she's better than everyone else. Doesn't that bother you?"

"No." Anzu shook her head and let a hand through her hair. "I don't care about what she does or how she acts. She's her own person and she can do whatever she wants. Why do you care so much?"

Although the crowd had dissipated, Jonouchi could still feel Sugoroku's eyes on him, Ryou still close by as well. They both looked concerned and Sugoroku's eyebrows were crossed like he was thinking of an answer and Jonouchi did not like that.

"I don't," Jonouchi backtracked, crossing his arms over his chest. "She's just given us a hard time so many times over, it sometimes feels good to return the favor."

When he was met with skeptical eyes, Jonouchi decided he needed to switch gears. And _fast_. "Anyways," he announced loudly, "the clock is ticking, and I'm almost close to qualifying for the finals! I don't have time to just stand around and chit-chat."

Anzu rolled her eyes as Ryou nodded his head in agreeance. It was unlikely that she'd be done having that conversation just because Jonouchi wanted to drop it but that was just how she was. Maybe, if he was lucky, she'd forget to bring it up later.

"Alright, now to test out this Duelist Search Sensor!"

"Huh?" Anzu looked confused.

Jonouchi enthusiastically hit the little button atop the deck holder on his Duel Disk. It lit up and began emitting steady beeps. "It's built into the Duel Disk - it detects when other active Duel Disks are nearby!"

The life point counter flashed, then an arrow appeared on the display pointing due north. "That way!"

Jonouchi took off in a sprint, not waiting until the others fell into action. There was a Duelist somewhere close, and he was determined to get to that person before anyone else did.

She kept a tight grip on the ladder, watching the city below until they began to descend to the ground, her ears early numb from the noise of the helicopter. It was something Kaiba was already used to, but she didn't enjoy her eardrums being rattled by it. Thankfully the ride was short, and jumping down to the ground, she took off towards the location of the God card, making long strides as she heard Mokuba calling for her to slow down from behind.

Kaiba would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that she was angry. That moron had made a scene, trying to goad her into a pointless duel in the middle of her damn city. She didn't even understand why he tried so hard, unless he was just a glutton for punishment. One day, she'd need to figure out what to do about him. Jonouchi was becoming increasingly annoying, appearing when Kaiba wasn't expecting him, begging for her attention.

It went far beyond the stupid high school crush she thought he was harboring. That was at least predictable; she'd played him the day they'd first met.

But that was years ago, and he was _still_ somehow popping up in her life. Something had to be done about it.

Brushing that thought to the side, Kaiba became increasingly aware of the sight of a huge red beast in the sky, the crowds swirling above it as the entire area darkened significantly.

She was in the presence of a god. Osiris, the sky dragon that Ishizu was looking for. One of the three that Kaiba knew would one day be hers.

Coming upon the scene, Kaiba could see from up above the hill what was going on below. Yugi was the opponent, unsurprisingly. She'd been looking for him all long, and a part of her couldn't help but feel incredibly pleased with herself, having him right there after only looking for a short amount of time.

Her pocket suddenly felt heavy. It was like Obelisk knew; there was a surge of power coursing, making her feel both strong and weak at the same time as the sky dragon whipped around in front of her.

Such power. It would soon belong to her.

Yugi didn't look too good, though. He fell to his knees, his face downcast as his shoulders trembled. Despite looking older than he usually did (it was so strange, how he could change while in a Duel), he didn't have any confidence in him. To Kaiba's disgust, he appeared broken. Her rival. The only one equal.

"Yugi," she called out, not thinking as the words spilled out of her mouth, "It does not suit a champion to be on their knees."

Yugi's eyes darted to hers, recognition sharpening his dulled gaze, but he made no motion to move.

"Get on your feet, Yugi!" She was screaming, but Kaiba didn't feel anything. "Your life as a Duelist will not end here. Where is your pride? I won't allow you, my only equal, to lose to anyone but me. If God stands in your way," she directed, pointing directly at him, "Mow him down!"

Her words seemed to reach him. Yugi rose slowly, finally raising his head. His spark was reignited, and although he didn't look at her, she heard herself being addressed.

"Alright, Kaiba. Watch me, I am going to defeat God!"

She couldn't help but smile. _How exciting._ If Yugi did win (and Kaiba knew he could), that would mean she'd find out right now what Osiris's weakness was. It was destiny that they'd meet again, in the finals, and Kaiba never left anything to chance. All questions would be solved before meeting Yugi on the battlefield.

But he still appeared afraid.

' _Fight, Yugi_ ,' she thought to herself as she watched the Duel continue, ' _Don't be intimidated by God_.'

Mokuba was becoming excited, more visibly rattled as the Duel progressed. Kaiba peered down at him momentarily before gazing back towards Yugi's figure, watching him scramble to find out a weakness. If anyone could defeat a God, it was Yugi. He just had to think clearly. Not panic.

"Nothing is infinite," she called out, "That is just God's deception. There is a way to beat Osiris."

Yugi turned his gaze back towards Kaiba, looking slightly unsure of himself. Kaiba wasn't sure if she liked watching him squirm nervously like he was. It was unbecoming. Where was the confidence? The bravado?

Only the proudest of Duelists could wield a God card. Wasn't Yugi worthy, too?

It was only after a few more strained seconds did Yugi finally break into a laugh, his face once again collected as he turned his attention to his opponent. "I know what to do now," he taunted, "My next turn will end this game."

Her lips turned into a smirk. This would be good.


	25. Chapter 25

Yugi had won, as expected. Kaiba tried to school her face, not allowing any emotion to show. It was apparent that he wouldn't have pulled through without her stepping in. _Playing the cheerleader._ She didn't enjoy the part, but if that meant saving her rival from losing his grip, then Kaiba would do it. Everything depended on Yugi making it to the finals. Nothing else but that reality would be acceptable to her.

Besides, it was slightly amusing to think that Yugi had almost lost. He wasn't invincible, and now Kaiba knew Osiris's weakness. Now the God card would be that much easier to exploit.

Just like her, Yugi was chosen to carry the weight of a God card. He was one of the proud few. Only powerful players could harness one.

'My rival must not be anything short of the best,' thought Kaiba as she watched from above, 'If you weren't at my level, it would be pointless to defeat you.'

Eager to live up to his title, Mokuba hopped over to where Yugi was, pausing before his opponent. He stared at the man for several seconds, even waving a hand in front of the other's face, but the Rare Hunter was unresponsive. "What's up with this guy?" he asked with a sour expression, "He's not moving at all - you don't think he's dead, do you?"

The Rare Hunter was slumped on his knees, Duel Monsters cards scattered around him. Mokuba sifted through them until he found one he was satisfied with and then ran over to Yugi. "Since he's clearly out of commission," Mokuba gave a distasteful glance toward Yugi's former opponent, "as the Battle City Steering Committee Chairman, I'll be the judge for this match's ante."

He thrusted two cards under Yugi's nose. "So here you go! Osiris the Sky Dragon and one puzzle card. But don't get too attached to them," he said as he wagged his finger, "You'll be handing both of those over to my big sister soon enough."

Kaiba was silent, watching Yugi's lack of reaction before deciding to just go for it. She couldn't avoid it. When two warriors met on the battlefield, they had to fight.

She jumped from the wall above, landing easily before getting up and placing her deck in her card holder. Yugi watched, seeming almost frozen before Mokuba opened his mouth as if about to speak.

"It's the rules," spoke Kaiba neutrally, "When Duelists meet, they must fight."

But before Yugi could accept, the Rare Hunter suddenly rose up, eliciting a loud shriek from Mokuba. "You freaking scared me!" he yelled, "What's the big idea!?"

When the Rare Hunter opened his mouth, the words that tumbled out sounded hollow, as though the person standing in front of them was simply a conduit for something else, far away.

"Enjoy that card while you can, Yugi," the voice hissed, "It'll return to me before long. But there's one thing I didn't mention before. I can see all over this city. And do you know what my gaze lies upon now?"

The voice chuckled, amused. Across from Kaiba, Yugi gritted his teeth, muttering a foreign name: "Marik…"

"You better go to them quickly, before I do. Your friends, that is. Especially the one called Jonouchi...I think I'll pay him a little visit as a Duelist."

"You fiend!" Yugi seethed, his eyes so cold they were burning. If Kaiba didn't know better, she would have thought that they were tinged with scarlet. But that was impossible.

"Please enjoy my little game," Marik continued, "If you value your friends' lives, you _will_ return that card to me." The Rare Hunter's limp form swung around to Kaiba. "And Miss Priestess, let this be a warning to you as well. You possess something that belongs to me. Shall I take something of yours?" His clouded eyes drifted to Mokuba.

"Watch it," threatened Kaiba as she too began gritting her teeth. "I own this city. Go after my brother, and I will have the entire might of this prefecture coming after you."

"My, how scary," the voice lilted. "Well, I'm sure I'll be seeing you both again. Soon." The Rare Hunter collapsed then, as though he were merely a puppet and all his strings had been cut.

Yugi was trembling again, but this time, instead of from fear, Kaiba was sure that it was pure, unadulterated rage. She shared the sentiment.

But then he took off running and Kaiba could feel a tinge of panic begin to shoot through her.  
"What are you doing?" she nearly screamed, "We have a duel to begin! Don't you dare start running away now!"

Stopping a short distance away, Yugi finally turned back to her. On his face was an expression she'd seen before, years ago.

When _she_ had been the one to threaten his loved ones.

"This isn't the time, Kaiba!" Yugi yelled, "I've got to go - I can't let Jonouchi or any of my friends die!" And then he was gone, leaving Kaiba behind to stare at his fading figure.

She just stared at him for a time, her gaze sharp as disappointment settled on her. Kaiba had felt ready. Prepared. And Yugi had ran away to go find his silly friends.

"Choosing friendship over pride," mumbled Kaiba under her breath. "Hmpf."

She just didn't get him - what kind of a Duelist was he? Who turned tail when facing an opponent on the battlefield? And that he had left her for that idiot, Jonouchi… It was clear that guy was like a cockroach - he just kept coming _back_ , so it wasn't like he was in any imminent danger.

Her knuckles felt tight, and there was a dull pain in her palms. Absently she realized that her fingernails were digging into the soft flesh, leaving angry crescent-shaped depressions. She unfolded her fists with some effort.

No one had ever treated her the way Yugi did. Kaiba was used to deference and submission. Yugi openly defied her, time and time again. It was just so baffling: she, who put so much stock into one person, but for what reason? He was the only one good enough to be her rival. He would be her ultimate hurdle, the only one worth dueling against.

Why didn't he feel the same?

She wrinkled her nose, not sure whom she was disgusted with more.

To hell with this. If he didn't see it, then she would _make_ him see.

Taking up the path of Yugi's flight, Kaiba began stalking after him, hoping that he hadn't gotten too far. Worst case scenario, she could use her satellite to locate him, but that was only worst-case scenario. She didn't think he could have gotten that far; fear did amazing things to the body, but Yugi didn't even know where to go. Unless he bothered to call Jonouchi to warn him, he would have to search through a city of two million.

As if he'd be that lucky.

"Nee-sama, where are you going?" Mokuba huffed, trying to catch up with her long strides.

"I'm going to find Yugi," she answered angrily, her eyes burning as she looked ahead to where they should go, "And I'm going to make him duel me."

"What!" Mokuba cried incredulously, "But you saw how he ran off! It's like he was on a mission…"

"Then I'll stop him," snapped Kaiba. "I'm not going to be blown off for that idiot Jonouchi! He accepted my Duel. He has to get through me. That's the rules, isn't it, Mokuba?"

Mokuba nodded, solemn. It was cute almost how seriously he took his "position."

"I don't take backseat to anyone," muttered Kaiba. "Least of all, that pathetic dog that trails Yugi everywhere. It's not my problem if Yugi can't keep his priorities straight. He must realize that when at war, you have to sometimes accumulate collateral damage. His friends are just weighing him down, anyways..."

They weren't his family. It wasn't the same. Kaiba didn't have a life without Mokuba, nor a reason to live if he ceased to exist, but Yugi? He couldn't seriously be so attached to such a group of outcasts. He was better than that.

True strength wasn't relying pitifully on such things as "friends." It was clawing your way to the top, out of the depths of hell, with your own two hands.

Mokuba was silent, trailing a half-step behind, but then Kaiba felt a light tug on her jacket. "But they've helped us, too, Nee-sama…" he said quietly.

"Not because I asked for their assistance," growled Kaiba as she picked up speed. "I don't need them. The only time I did, I paid off my debt to Yugi. I owe him nothing."

Wasn't Jonouchi just unnecessary baggage? High school was over. There was no reason to continue with him when Yugi was better on his own. Maybe if he believed that, he would have managed against Marik better.

Friendship. A crutch.

Jonouchi more so than the rest. What even was it about those two? Kaiba could recall moments of them, brief flashes of memory watching them coming into a classroom together, loudly laughing over some dumb joke. They didn't think she was paying attention, but Kaiba always was. In the hallways, during the cafeteria, when the teachers disappeared, and the class became chaos, friends going into their little groups instead of studying.

They were together, all the time. And it made no damn sense.

Yugi was a somebody. He was destined for greatness. What was he doing, piddling around with some nobody? Jonouchi wasn't worth his time or attention, and yet he remained as one of Yugi's most important people.

And Kaiba was…

She shook her head, her lips pulling back instinctively into a snarl.

At least Yugi was in sight now. Picking up pace again, Kaiba snatched the briefcase from Mokuba's hands to save time. He was so small, he couldn't help but be a little slow compared to her sweeping stride. She almost wanted to just drag him along, she was so impatient, but she curbed herself and slowed down a little instead.

"Nee-sama," Mokuba announced, "while you find Yugi, I'm going to do my job! Someone's gotta catch the cheaters, especially with these 'Ghouls' skulking around. And I know you can take them on, so let's divide and conquer!"

"Be careful," Kaiba stressed. "I mean it. Watch your back and if anything happens, and I mean _anything_ , you call me in, got it?"

She stopped, grabbing Mokuba's arm firmly while looking down straight into his eyes as he smiled back confidently. "You might be my employee, and most trusted one at that, but you are still my brother and I have enemies."

"I _know_ , Nee-sama! Have a little faith - I can take care of myself! I do bear the Kaiba name, after all," he grinned.

"Right."

She gave him a small smile before letting him go. Turning her attention back towards Yugi, she marched forward, her eyes immediately latching onto the figures standing in her path. There were ghouls ahead. Thankfully Mokuba was far away now; the kid ran fast. If he stayed sharp, Kaiba was confident she wouldn't have to worry about him.

Coming in close enough to hear the conversation, she charged forward, brandishing her Duel Disk.

"Yugi, don't fear those clowns," she said, taking out her deck from its place and placing it in the card recognizer, "We'll defeat these pigs in a tag Duel. We will pair up."

Yugi's eyes were wide, but he said nothing as he watched her slide her deck into place.

"I started this tournament to wipe out this scum," said Kaiba as she pointed directly at the ghouls who stood before her wearing masks. "I'm not here to help you rescue your friends. So, don't mistake my participation as generosity."

Although Yugi didn't seem pleased, he gave Kaiba a tacit nod. "Alright then, Kaiba."

It only took a few turns before Kaiba drew her most formidable monster. Obelisk. She summoned it right away, blasting the Ghouls and taking their puzzle cards for her and Yugi, prospectively.

"Easy," she smirked, pocketing it and turning to look down at Yugi, "These Ghouls aren't that concerning. I blew them away in just a few turns."

"Kaiba…" Yugi looked as though he couldn't believe his eyes. "Where did you get that card?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know," answered Kaiba snidely, "Maybe if you'd duel me, I'll tell you where it came from."

Yugi's gaze was piercing. "Now's not the time for that! You heard Marik before - Jonouchi and the others could be in danger! I have to get to them!"

"If those Ghouls are anything like these fools," laughed Kaiba, kicking one guy in the shoulder with her heel before shaking her head, "Jonouchi should be able to handle them himself, unless he's not as much the Duelist as you say he is. What is it, Yugi? Do you not trust him to get himself out of trouble? Does big brother Yugi have to go save poor little Jonouchi before he goes and does something stupid? Please..."

"Didn't you notice that one from before acting strangely?" challenged Yugi. "It was as though he were being controlled… Who know what this Marik is capable of? Jonouchi may be able to take care of himself, but we're still friends and I've got to have his back!"

"That mime was Marik's lackey, of course he was being controlled..." Kaiba rolled her eyes. Clearly, she wasn't getting anywhere with Yugi. At this point, it was probably a lost cause trying to get him to do anything for her. He was too focused on saving clueless Jonouchi than competing in the competition, like he should.

"Are you always going to let that dead weight pull you down?" asked Kaiba.

He wasn't looking at her. He was looking somewhere off in the distance, uneasiness written across his face. When he finally turned to her, he bore a curious expression - an odd kind of tenderness, as though he'd lived far beyond his years.

"You'll understand one day, Kaiba…"

* * *

"There's really a Duelist here?" Sugoroku asked, eyebrow quirked, as they stood in front of the massive entryway.

"Well, that's what the sensor-thingy says…" Jonouchi replied, giving it a scrutinizing look. The Duel Disk continued to beep and flashy steadily.

"Ughh, let's just go in! Gramps, you got us, right?"

Sugoroku squawked but followed Jonouchi to the ticket counter all the same.

"Hey, wait up!" Anzu ran up to meet them, pausing to catch her breath. "We've lost Ryou somewhere…"

Jonouchi made a face at that revelation but he couldn't be bothered to wait around for the guy. He had a Duel to win, after all, and there was no telling what _thing_ could have distracted the weirdo…

He pushed his through the turnstile and traversed the winding hallways before finding himself in a large, dim building. There was large clear glass all over, displaying thousands of different species of fish, each more bright and beautiful than the one before.

Anzu's face was completely lit up as she came over to one section where the tank was just full of floating, angelic looking jellyfish. They swam around without any sort of purpose, just swaying with the motion as their tentacles dragged behind.

Whoever the Duelist was seemed to be hiding deep in the aquarium. They went to the basement, coming into the darkest part of the exhibits, the underbelly of the place. It was called "The Pit of Nightmares." Jonouchi just laughed it off, going past small tanks of scary looking fish and unnerving spider-like creatures before finally reaching the biggest room in the entire place, a beautiful reef tank in the center.

"How boring," laughed Jonouchi, "I thought this was supposed to be scary?" He turned and laughed, leaning against the glass as he chuckled to himself.

"Jonouchi, don't look behind you," remarked Anzu quietly.

"What..."

Predictably, Jonouchi whipped behind himself to find he had come face to face with a Sand Tiger Shark, who floated directly behind him, eyes black and teeth gnarled. They came out of its mouth at all directions and Jonouchi immediately screamed, tripping over his feet before landing on the ground ass first.

"Oi, you're gonna scare away all the fish with that hollering! Oh, hey. Jonouchi. Long time no see!" A tanned, somewhat stocky male strode out of the shadows, his wild long hair pushed back into a thick ponytail and contained by a headband with a wave motif.

"Well I'll be damned, Kajiki Ryota! You're in Battle City, too?" Jonouchi said as he scrambled back to his feet, trying to regain some dignity as he gave a pointed look to Ryota's Duel Disk.

"Of course!"

"Ryota," Anzu started, "Don't the rules state that duels are supposed to be on the streets? What are you doing here?"

Ryota beamed, at once sheepish and excited. "Well, I've never been to an aquarium before, so how could I pass it up? All these awesome-looking fish... kind of makes me hungry."

"You're not supposed to eat them…"

"Anyways," Ryota continued, "What brings you here, Jonouchi? Come to be amazed by the majesty of the sea, too?"

Jonouchi shook his head, holding up his Duel Disk. "Nah man, I came to duel! So how about it?"

Ryota narrowed his eyes but smirked all the same. "Your deck's just fish food, but why not?"

This would be their deciding battle. With four puzzle cards each and two at stake, the victor would enter the championship round. To up the ante even further, they each bet two rare cards - Jonouchi put up the ones he'd won earlier that day, keeping his Time Wizard safe. Jinzo and Insect Queen were formidable cards, but he wouldn't miss them if he were to lose.

Laying down a solid defense, Jonouchi ended his turn while Ryota played it safe, wary of Jonouchi's face-down card. Heh. The seafood freak wouldn't be going far if he planned on tiptoeing around Jonouchi's moves.

This would show him. "I sacrifice Landstar to summon Giltia!"

The armored warrior emerged from the shadows, but it hadn't a chance to even land before a hologram card appeared behind it, impaling the monster with thick, squirming tentacles.

He didn't know what was going on. Ryota hadn't played any face-down cards that should have activated some kind of trap… _Oh shit_.

Looking down at his own hand, Jonouchi had pulled Parasite Paracide. He'd forgotten to take the damned card out of his deck, he'd been so preoccupied with finding another opponent…

Stupidstupid _stupid_!

Nothing to be done about it, now. He'd overcome it once; he'd just have to do it again.

* * *

Jonouchi couldn't believe it. He was so giddy with excitement, every part of him on fire as Ryota handed over his rarest cards. Now for sure, Jonouchi would be going to the finals. It was too much for him to contain. Every ounce of Jonouchi wanted to shout out and scream, but he had to contain himself, just opting for a fist pump and hugging Anzu before looking at his prize.

Ryota's Legendary Fisherman. He almost felt bad taking the card away.

"Doesn't this card mean a lot to you?" he asked, hesitant.

"It reminds me of my father," admitted Ryota, "And I treasure it with my very being, but you won it, Jonouchi. My card now belongs to you."

It would be wrong to not accept it, so Jonouchi carefully placed it away before looking at the other.

Fortress Whale. It was a strong card. A great addition to his deck and Jonouchi felt grateful.

He left the aquarium feeling on top of the world. Once he was outside, Jonouchi leaped into the air and let out a loud shout of joy before turning back to his friends.

"I'm gonna be in the finals," he said, looking back directly at Sugoroku, who smiled, "I'm gonna compete in the biggest competition yet..."

 _And prove myself to everyone,_ thought Jonouchi, _everyone who ever doubted me._

He wouldn't allow anyone to scare him. No matter what, he'd face every Duelist without a trace of fear. Jonouchi might not yet be Yugi's equal, but he'd present himself like one. There was nothing Jonouchi wanted more, than to be just like his friend. To be someone worth looking up to...

And to get respect. Kaiba's respect, in particular.

"I can't wait to see Kaiba's face when she finds out," grinned Jonouchi, "She's gonna regret letting me stay in the competition."

Anzu rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh

"I'm gonna duel her first," bragged Jonouchi, "and kick her spoiled rich ass. Then I'll duel against Yugi. No one will doubt my abilities ever again."

"That's the spirit, Jonouchi!" approved Sugoroku. He gave Jonouchi a large pat on the back as Jonouchi gave a thumbs up back.

"You'll see me at the top," continued Jonouchi, "Maybe I'll have a chance at an actual career, now. Yugi might be the best, but maybe I'm destined for greatness, too."

Jonouchi was derailed by Anzu's sharp shriek, her face pale and stunned. "Huh? What's gotten into you…" he started as he turned, before he, too, took in a sharp breath.

Ryou was slumped against a stranger, barely supporting his own weight as a thick stream of blood seeped down his left arm. He was unusually white, a gray pallor to his visibly sweating skin.

"Bakura!" the three of them cried in unison, jumping to collect their friend. He groaned in obvious pain, slumping further towards the asphalt.

"What the hell happened?" Jonouchi snarled, turning darkened eyes toward the stranger. He'd never seen him before: not around the city, nor dueling. He looked like he didn't belong, what with his deeply tanned skin, light hair, and kohl-adorned eyes.

"I found him lying in the streets," the stranger began, carefully passing Ryou's limp body over. "Are you his friends? I tried to patch him up, but he really needs to get to a hospital."

"Ryou, who did this to you?" Jonouchi demanded, shaking the other in his haze of rage.

Ryou cracked an eye open, panting with difficulty. "I don't know, Jonouchi-kun… I can't... remember anything. I woke up and…"

"There he is!"

Oh, great. What _now_?

Two rough-looking teens approached their group, everything about their body language indicating that they were looking for a fight.

"That's the punk who stole my Duel Disk!" announced the shorter of the two, pointing a finger directly at Ryou.

Ryou's face bunched up, his glassy eyes attempting to focus on the machine strapped to his arm. He squinted at it as though it was the first time he recognized it there. "How did I…"

The two men lunged, muscles tensed, fists drawn back to strike. "Just hand it over!"

Jonouchi made to intervene, but then a curious thing happened: the foreigner leapt to shield Ryou, taking a hit clear across the jaw.

"Now you've done it," Jonouchi hissed, letting the clouds of his anger converge over rationality. He sprang upon the duo, his body falling back on memories Jonouchi had carefully compartmentalized and locked away. Knuckles connected with flesh, pained grunts sounded with each impact, bones crunched and snapped. Jonouchi gave in to the phantom, and when he came back to himself, the pair lie unconscious at his feet.

He didn't have time to think about what he'd done. The worst he'd given was a broken nose and probably a fractured wrist - and surely matching concussions. They'd survive.

"I need to get Ryou to a hospital," interrupted Sugoroku. He hailed a cab and they all hastily helped Bakura into the backseat before it sped off. Anzu's face looked sick with worry while Jonouchi bottled up the anger under his skin.

Just moments ago, he was so happy. What the hell was going on?

"Who are you and what happened to our friend?" demanded Jonouchi, "You must know more than you are letting on!"

No one just helped strangers on the street. The foreigner must have been hiding something.

The stranger extended his palms forward, offering a weak smile. "My name is Namu. I'm a Duelist in this competition, just like you." He lifted his Duel Disk-clad arm as proof. "Really, I don't know what happened. I was following the tracing signal when I found your friend passed out on the street and bleeding. I don't have a car or cell phone, and I don't really know this city, so there wasn't much I could do beside to try to stop the bleeding."

"Well, thanks for helping our friend, I'm Jonouchi Katsuya." He smiled before offering his hand. While Jonouchi knew he should be more cautious around the guy he didn't know, he felt obligated to be nice. Most people would have just left Ryou on the street after all... Yet, something about it all didn't feel right.

"I'm surprised that Ryou got hurt; it's the middle of downtown here. This side of the city is generally safe," said Anzu with a frown, "I go out here alone all the time."

"Jonouchi Katsuya," remarked Namu, who scratched his head before his eyes lightened up, "Oh, I've heard of you before! You were second place at Duelist Kingdom. Wow, I always wanted to duel as well as you!"

Jonouchi couldn't help but perk up at that. Someone _knew_ his name? Even, dare he say, admired him? He stood a little taller, puffing his chest out. "Yeah? Well, I've already qualified for the finals! As thanks for helping our friend, why not stick around? I could give you some tips."

"Yeah?" Namu smiled at that, his eyes bright as walked alongside Jonouchi at his pace, "What was it like dueling in such a hard competition? What do you do to prepare?"

"It was a piece of cake!" Jonouchi bluffed, ignoring Anzu's eye-roll next to him, "When you know you're good, you're just good. But it took me a lot of practice getting here. You just gotta keep at it and never give up. Knowing your deck inside-out is a good start."

"Some duelists are really good, though," laughed Namu nervously. "Like, I know Kaiba Seto is just a girl, but she kind of freaks me out."

Anzu cringed, but Jonouchi ignored her look.

"You wouldn't be the first," Jonouchi laughed, "She's freakishly strong. It's like all she ever thinks about is playing, and above all, winning. I don't even know where to begin about her…"

"Neither do I," snorted Anzu, "She seems to be one of your favorite subjects of conversation, Jonouchi."

"Do you know Kaiba-sama well?" asked Namu excitedly, "You must know all the best players! What is she really like?"

"Uh-" Jonouchi stammered, feeling hot under the collar. Anzu and her big mouth. "I don't think anyone really _knows_ her. She's… Well. She's something else. She plays as though Duel Monsters is all she has."

"Is it?"

"I'd like to know," Jonouchi whispered underneath his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

"I can't wait to see her and all the rest of the professional players," Namu continued talking, acting as if he missed Jonouchi's little comment, "Kaiba, Yugi, Mai, and so many others. Wow, I guess that means I have a lot of work to do." Namu bowed a little before looking away, "I need to find two more duelists, so I should get going. Nice meeting you all."

The sudden shift threw Jonouchi off-guard. "You sure? Yeah, nice meeting you, too. And thanks again, Namu. And good luck."

Namu gave him a thumbs up before heading down an unfamiliar street.

The back of Jonouchi's neck prickled as he watched their newfound friend descend into the darkened alley. Would he really be alright by himself, or was this a Bakura situation waiting to happen all over again?

Before he knew it, his feet had taken off, and Jonouchi was sprinting - Anzu close behind, grumbling loudly - after the other teen. "Hey, Namu - wait up!"


End file.
